Bayern Munich’s interest in American full-back could hand Barcelona an unexpected €3.5 million financial boost | OneFootball

Barcelona could receive an unexpected financial boost this summer thanks to a player who no longer belongs to the club.

According to Mundo Deportivo, Bayern Munich are exploring the possibility of signing Sergino Dest from PSV Eindhoven as they look to strengthen their full-back options ahead of next season. 

While the transfer would not directly involve Barcelona, the Catalan club could still benefit financially due to a clause included when the American defender left Camp Nou.

Dest has rebuilt his reputation in the Netherlands after a difficult spell in Spain and is once again attracting attention from some of Europe’s biggest clubs. 

His performances for PSV, combined with his versatility across both full-back positions, have convinced Bayern that he could be a useful addition to their squad.

Interestingly, for Barcelona, the situation represents a rare opportunity to generate income from a former player without having to negotiate a transfer themselves.

Bayern move could aid Barcelona

The report claims Bayern are currently assessing several options for the full-back positions and have identified Dest as one of the names under consideration.

Sergino Dest is linked to Bayern Munich. (Photo by Alex Bierens de Haan/Getty Images)

The German giants are also progressing in their pursuit of PSV attacking midfielder Ismael Saibari, and there is a possibility that both players could be included in an operation involving the Dutch club.

The combined value of the two players is estimated to be around €58 million, with Dest valued at approximately €18 million and Saibari at around €40 million.

Barcelona’s interest in the situation comes from the conditions agreed upon when Dest joined PSV permanently. 

Despite allowing the defender to leave, the Blaugrana retained a percentage of any future transfer fee. That percentage is believed to be around 20%, meaning a transfer worth €18 million could generate roughly €3.5 million for Barcelona.

However, the operation is not yet finalised, as Bayern would likely need to make room within their squad before moving forward, while Dest himself is focused on the World Cup and may prefer to postpone any final decision until after the tournament.

Reminder of Barcelona’s smart negotiation

Barcelona will gain financial benefits from Dest’s exit. (Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images)

Although Dest’s Barcelona career never unfolded as many expected, the potential financial reward shows the importance of including future-sale clauses when negotiating player departures.

The American arrived from Ajax in 2020 as one of Europe’s most promising young full-backs. 

Barcelona invested €21 million plus potential bonuses to secure his signature, hoping he would become a long-term solution on the right side of defence.

His first season showed encouraging signs, but consistency proved difficult to maintain. Loan spells followed, first at AC Milan and later at PSV, before the Dutch club completed a permanent deal in 2024.

While Barcelona did not receive a transfer fee when PSV signed him outright, they did manage to secure a percentage of any future sale.