PSV wants to sign Dest permanently despite major knee injury
PSV Eindhoven manager Peter Bosz has claimed that he wants to sign Sergiño Dest to a permanent deal despite the star’s recent setback. The Dutch club announced on Saturday that Dest suffered a “serious” knee injury in training. The exact extent of the issue has not yet been revealed, but the defender will miss the remainder of PSV‘s season.
Dest joined the Eredivisie side in August on a one-year loan deal from Barcelona. While the American has struggled to keep a starting place back in Spain, he has performed well for PSV. Whoscored currently ranks Dest as the second-best defender in the Dutch league during the 2023/24 campaign. The full-back has netted two goals and added six assists in Eredivisie play this season.
With Dest regularly in Bosz’s starting lineup, PSV has dominated the Dutch league. The club has only recorded one league loss in the campaign and currently leads Feyenoord by nine points. Only four more fixtures are remaining for both teams this season.
Coach claims Dest has ‘clicked’ with pending Dutch champions
Bosz spoke to reporters about Dest during a press conference on Wednesday. The coach claimed that he wants to re-sign the American even though the defender will likely miss significant time due to the injury. “I am talking for myself as a coach and as a staff,” Bosz began. “I would very much like to have him here. It clicked in the way we played. It clicked as a person, and it clicked with the player group.”
“He also just played well actually all season. Then you want to keep him. The same goes for the club, actually. I think they would also like to keep him here.”
The manager also stated that he would allow Dest to address the extent of his injury himself, rather than have the club make the announcement. “He would love to be allowed to explain himself what exactly is going on and what the follow-up will be. That will happen soon,” continued Bosz.
“He told [his teammates] with the doctor. After that, there was a dead silence and I think that says it all. It’s terrible.”
Star USMNT defender is set to likely miss 2024 Copa America
Along with missing the final few matches of the season with PSV, Dest is also now a major doubt for the 2024 Copa America. The defender is a regular mainstay in defense with the USMNT under Gregg Berhalter. He most recently played a key part in the Americans collecting the 2023 and 2024 CONCACAF Nations League titles.
The upcoming tournament, however, will be a much tougher test for Berhalter’s group. All of the best teams from South America are set to make the trip to the States for the competition. This includes a stacked Brazil squad, as well as the defending World Cup champions Argentina. Nevertheless, it seems as if the USMNT will have to make a run at the tournament without Dest.
The 2024 Copa America is scheduled to start on June 20th in Atlanta. The USMNT, however, will begin their journey three days later in Texas against Bolivia. Berhalter’s team has been placed in Group C alongside Uruguay, Panama, and Bolivia.
PHOTOS: IMAGO