Manchester United

Manchester United

Premier League • England

Manchester United close in on Adrien Rabiot transfer and accelerate interest in €20m right-back pursuit

Sergino Dest Barcelona August 2022

Manchester United have “accelerated” their interest in Sergino Dest as they close in on a move for Juventus midfielder Adrien Rabiot.

France international midfielder Rabiot is on the verge of sealing a transfer to Old Trafford. The interest in Rabiot emerged earlier this month and Gianluca Di Marzio has since reported that Manchester United and Juventus have reached an agreement in principle for the transfer.

Reporter Ignazio Genuardi has also claimed a deal is close with a transfer to Manchester United “inexorable.”

Football director John Murtough spent Thursday and Friday in Turin working on the deal last week. But United are also hard at work on other deals in the background.

And the weekend’s drubbing at Brentford has only intensified their hunt for new recruits.

USA international Dest has been linked with United this summer. And his links with former Ajax boss Erik ten Hag made it a plausible transfer.

Now Sport, via Sport Witness report that Manchester United “move to sign” Barcelona’s Dest.

Right-back Ethan Laird has joined Queens Park Rangers on a season-long loan. The 21-year-old had spent the second half of last season on loan at Bournemouth.

That leaves Ten Hag with only Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Diogo Dalot as right-back options. And Ten Hag’s plan is to keep Dalot, who has started the first two Premier League games and go after Dest.

Ten Hag knows all about Dest from Ajax and El National claimed Ten Hag has instructed John Murtough to look into a deal for USA star Dest.

Ten Hag is an admirer of the 21-year-old, who was born in Holland. He in fact gave the defender his big break at Ajax.

Sergino Dest left out of Barcelona squad

Now United are moving ahead with a deal for the Barcelona defender, which will in turn see Aaron wan-Bissaka leave Old Trafford.

Ten Hag is confident that Dest will say ‘yes’ to the transfer.

Dest is in no hurry to leave Catalonia but Xavi excluded him from the squad to face Rayo Vallecano.

Barca are said to want around €20m for the American. And the LaLiga club are open to either a sale or letting him go out on loan with an obligation to buy.

The Spanish outlet make it clear that the next 48 hours will be decisive in the player’s future.

It’s not thought that United will entertain a swap including Diogo Dalot. Both Dalot and Wan-Bissaka are reportedly on Barca’s wanted list.

Wan-Bissaka is wanted by Crystal Palace, according to the BBC and Sky Sports. A loan return to Selhurst Part, where Wan-Bissaka came through the academy looks likely.