Dutch giants to negotiate a ‘low-cost’ transfer for injured Barcelona defender

Barcelona were hoping to raise €10 million from the sale of Sergino Dest to PSV Eindhoven this summer.

The USMNT international joined the Dutch giants on loan last summer with an option to make the transfer permanent for €10 million. Things were going very well for the defender in Eindhoven, with the club being ready to sign him full-time.

However, a serious knee injury, that will keep Dest sidelined for nine months, has changed the scenario.

PSV to negotiate a low-cost deal for Dest

Indeed, Dest suffered a serious knee injury last week which is set to keep him out until 2025. Despite that, PSV remain intent on signing the Barcelona loanee permanently.

But, as per the latest update from SPORT, PSV do not wish to pay the initially agreed upon €10 million fee to Barcelona for Dest in light of his injury. After all his contract with the Catalans would expire next year.

Sergino Dest is out for nine months. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images)

As per the report, everything was in place for Dest to leave Barcelona permanently in the summer for €10 million, with him having agreed a four-year contract with PSV as well.

But the injury changes everything. While PSV do not wish to abandon the player totally, they also do not intend to pay a big sum for a player who will not play until next year, when they can easily sign him for free.

As such, they are now trying to negotiate a lower transfer fee to take the USMNT right-back off the Blaugrana’s hands on a permanent basis.

A fee of around €1-2 million could be the sum they might offer, along with a future sell-on clause for Barcelona. Meanwhile, Dest himself would have to adjust his salary and take a pay cut.