USMNT star Sergino Dest says 'Milan for me was a big mistake' but former Barcelona teammate of Lionel Messi continues to dream of ‘beautiful places’

The United States international finds himself back in the country of his birth at present, with a permanent transfer to Dutch giants PSV completed in the summer of 2024. That move, which came on the back of a loan stint in Eindoven, saw Dest sever ties with La Liga giants Barcelona.

He got to play alongside Lionel Messi in Catalunya, but slipped down the pecking order at Camp Nou and realised that a loan move was required in order to find regular game time. A season-long switch to Milan was agreed in 2022, but a testing stint in Italy did not play out as planned.

Dest admits as much, telling Sky Sports: “Milan for me was a big mistake. Obviously, it is a beautiful club but I was not ready at that time to go there, mentally. At that moment, my heart was still in Barcelona and I could not really focus on the next thing. I think that is why it went the way it went.”

Dest concedes that he has taken a professional step backwards in returning to the Netherlands, but he needs to put down roots somewhere after struggling for form and fitness of late. He added on agreeing to remain at PSV: “Maybe it is good for me to be stable at one club a little longer because I kept moving every year to another club. But I also do not want to waste time. I want to get the maximum out of my career.

“I am glad that I had this path. I made a lot of mistakes that I will not make in the future. It is just all experience, man. I accept it. I cannot change it. This is just the path I have to follow at this moment. And better things will come. I know I am going to come back.”

While happy to stay put for now, Dest makes no secret of the fact that he intends to push back up the footballing food chain in Europe at some stage. He said of what the future holds: “Obviously, PSV is a great club, but I have a lot of ambitions and I know what I can do. I feel that my level needs to be in the top five leagues, so I am working really hard for that. I have been in a lot of beautiful places. I want to get back to these beautiful places.”

Dest has a contract with PSV through to the summer of 2028 – which will take in the next World Cup finals, as they head to the United States, Canada and Mexico in 2026. The 24-year-old still has plenty of time on his side when it comes to securing another marquee transfer.