Earlier in the summer, it was said that Leeds wanted to bring Barcelona defender Sergino Dest to the Premier League.
Xavi was willing to let the United States international leave the Camp Nou, and the right-back was even offered to Leeds as Barcelona attempted to sell him.
A move seemed quite likely, especially as Dest shares an agent with Patrick Bamford.
Now, however, Xavi has performed a U-turn on the £17m man.
What’s the story?
Well, the Spaniard now wants to keep the American in Catalonia.
Speaking about Dest, Xavi said: “He’s fast and defends well. He’s a good player, still young and important for the future.”
That will not be music to the ears of Jesse Marsch.
Dest made 31 appearances in all competitions for Barcelona last season, but as the Spanish giants struggle financially, they seemed likely to cash in on the 21-year-old.
Now, Leeds will have to look elsewhere, as Xavi has made his plans for the Barcelona No.2 very clear.
Leeds need Sergino Dest
In our view, Marsch needs Dest – or he at least needs to find an alternative.
Leeds have already bolstered the right-back department with the signing of Rasmus Kristensen, who will provide Luke Ayling with competition in that role.
However, Marsch’s left-back options are not as strong, and another option to compete with Junior Firpo certainly wouldn’t go amiss.
Crucially, Dest can also operate at left-back.
Unfortunately, Firpo is set to miss the next eight weeks after picking up a knock during pre-season, so the need for Dest has intensified at Elland Road. Therefore, Xavi’s comments have come at a terrible time.
Hopefully, Leeds can convince Dest to leave Barcelona, but if not, another full-back capable of playing on either side should definitely be targeted.
Keep an eye on developments at Elland Road, as we don’t think Leeds are done in the market just yet.
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