Sergiño Dest, the right-back for Barcelona, has expressed his intention to stay at Camp Nou this summer, dismissing ongoing speculations about his future.

The 22-year-old has faced challenges impressing Xavi Hernandez, leading to his loan to AC Milan for the 2022-23 campaign.

Unfortunately, Dest’s stint at San Siro failed to revive his career, as he made only 14 appearances for Stefano Pioli’s team without registering a goal or assist. In the previous season, the USMNT international started in the lineup just twice, while injuries also hampered his progress.

It resulted in his exclusion from the Rossoneri’s squad for the final 11 league matches.

The defender is still obligated to play with the Spanish giants for another two years. Yet, the Blaugrana have been poised to cut ties with him in the coming weeks as they want to restock their right-back position.

Where will Dest play next season?

Premier League sides Manchester United, Crystal Palace, Fulham, as well as German Union Berlin, are reportedly monitoring Dest’s situation closely as rumors swirl about a possible move from La Liga.

The player claims he has been assured of an opportunity to prove himself worthy of a roster berth next year.

“Yes, I see myself staying. Obviously, I have to prove myself during the pre-season. I’m fully focused on myself at the moment. It’s up to me and I feel like I can and I will prove it. My mindset is to stay here and to have like a really nice season and to follow through with Barca”, he said, via the Spanish newspaper Marca.

“I don’t want to give too much information about what we discussed. At the end of the day, he just told me like, ‘Okay, I’ll give you a fair chance to prove yourself’, so that’s what it is at the moment. He also told me, ‘I think you have qualities but it’s up to you, you have to show me’, and I fully agree. I think it is up to me. I think I have some qualities that can be good for the team, but I have to show them and be consistent.”

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