Transfer Update: Barcelona sign Ajax full back Sergino Dest for £23.8m

Spanish giant Barcelona have completed a deal worth up to €26.2m (£23.8m) to sign right-back Sergino Dest from Eredivisie champions, Ajax.

The Netherland’s side will receive an initial fee of €21.2m (£19.2m) and an additional €5m (£4.6m) in add-ons for Dest, who has signed a deal at the Camp Nou, which would keep him till 2025 including a buy-out clause set at €400m (£362.9m).

Barcelona beat off competition from Bayern Munich to land the 19-year-old United States international, after seeing an offer to take Max Aarons on loan rejected by Norwich City.

Reports broke earlier this month that Barcelona’s interest shown in bringing Aarons to Spain on loan wasn’t accepted as Norwich wanted to include an obligation to buy at the end of the loan.

It was reported that Max Aarons had agreed on personal terms with Barcelona.

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The German champions who have shown keen interests in Brighton & Hove’s Tariq Lamptey are also in the market for a young right-back and have rivalled Barcelona for Dest and Aarons.

Barcelona are continuing their rebuild under new boss, Ronald Koeman, after having Miralem Pjanic and Francisco Trincao join the club from Juventus and Braga respectively.

Barca has been on a hunt for a new right-back after Nelson Semedo’s £36.8m departure to Wolves last week while also sanctioning the sale of Luis Suarez to Atletico Madrid and Arturo Vidal to Inter Milan.

Dest came to Ajax in 2012 through the youth ranks and made his first-team debut in 2019, going on to score two goals in 38 appearances for the Eredivisie club.

The summer transfer window closes at 11pm on Monday, 5 October with a feast of activity lined up on transfer deadline day.