Sergiño Dest is approaching the exit at Ajax: the fullback is on his way to FC Barcelona, while Bayern Munich seemed to have the best papers for a long time. Der Rekordmeister had even reached a personal agreement with Dest, Bayern watcher Florian Plettenberg tells VoetbalPrimeur.
Interest started in early February: Dest had already been spotted in southern Germany and the completion of the transfer seemed like a matter of time. Bayern’s plans became brief after the coronavirus outbreak put in the refrigerator, but the Champions League winner recently reported back in Amsterdam: in vain, it now appears.
Plettenberg discussed the Dest situation with one of his sources on Säbener Straße. “He told me that they had already reached a personal agreement a few weeks ago. But the clubs had not yet decided: Bayern wanted to make a ‘fair offer’, but the asking price of Ajax was too high”, the journalist says Sport1 to this website.
‘Dest wanted to go to Bayern himself’
Bayern is considered one of the healthiest top clubs in Europe and has reaped transfer revenues with the departure of Thiago Alcântara. Nevertheless, they did not just want to pay the main prize for Dest. “They have enough financial reserves, but they are not crazy and they don’t just spend their money. Bayern also has to watch the little ones and handle its money responsibly. Just look at David Alaba”, Plettenberg points out. the laborious contract negotiations with the Austrian.
Barça eventually came out with the Amsterdammers. “I do not rule out the possibility that Ajax has used Bayern’s interest to enforce an agreement with Barcelona,” said Plettenberg. “He wanted to come to Bayern himself. But maybe Ajax pushed him towards Barcelona.”
‘Not everyone convinced, but Bayern would have liked to have him’
The record champion may in any case continue to search for his coveted right back. Joshua Kimmich is basically a midfielder and Benjamin Pavard prefers to play centrally in the back: bringing in an extra fullback is therefore the priority of head coach Hansi Flick. Plettenberg said earlier that not everyone within the club was convinced of the – still – Ajax player. “That is still the case. But there are more top clubs who are looking for good backs and there are not that many talented candidates. Bayern would have liked Dest anyway.”
The international of the United States came on Saturday evening during Ajax-Vitesse: this match will go into the books as his last in Amsterdam service. The team from Amsterdam reached an agreement with FC Barcelona: Dest would also be said goodbye of his teammates. FC Barcelona is expected to present him one of these days.
(Hein Nooijens / VoetbalPrimeur)
❗️Update #Dest: #FC Bayern is not willing to pay the (from their view) excessive demanded transfer fee from Ajax so no agreement between the clubs. But the player would have loved to come to Bayern. Officials of the clubs are informed about that, they were convinced. @ SPORT1
– Florian Plettenberg (@Plettigoal) September 27, 2020
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