"I don't think Xavi was honest with me"

In October 2020, Barcelona snapped up one of Ajax's most promising talents. Sergino Dest left the Dutch league in a 21 million euro transfer and joined Ronald Koeman's ranks.

With the Dutchman at the tactical helm, he started 48 of the 57 games he played but was ostracised with the arrival of Xavi Hernandez on the bench. Years later, he has uncovered the unravelling of his relationship with the Spanish coach in ‘Sport’.

"I don't think he was honest with me. We had several conversations in which he told me one thing, but afterwards I doubted whether it was really true. In the summer, before going on holiday, he told me ‘I'm counting on you, don't read the press’. As soon as I got back, he told me ‘you have to go’," he told the Catalan newspaper.

Asked if he has any regrets about his time in Spain, he replied: "I wouldn't say I regret it because, in the end, it was something that didn't depend on me, but I don't feel I had the necessary opportunities with Xavi. I felt I had to play with limits, that I wasn't myself. I wanted to join the attack, because that's my greatest virtue, but he asked me not to go up". He also said that he does not rule out a return to Spain.

"Yes, I hope so. I'm very happy and very grateful at PSV, but I'm ambitious and of course, I'd like to play in one of the big five leagues in Europe again. I think I have the level for it and, with hard work and consistency, I think I can definitely make it. I don't know what will happen, but I would like to return to La Liga in the future. On the subject of who impressed him most at Barcelona", he added: "Messi, of course".