The Athletic FC ⚽ is The Athletic ’s daily football (or soccer, if you prefer) newsletter. Sign up to receive it directly to your inbox. Hello! Sergino Dest is injured — but Mauricio Pochettino is going to love him when he’s back.
Coming up: 🧐 USMNT’s Dest analyses his game 🛬 The stuntman eyeing Everton 👬🏽 Premier League ’s deadly duos 🏟️ Fans to buy Bundesliga stadium? Simply the Dest: A certain future Pochettino pick — this is why Bated breath in the American ranks as Pochettino mulls over his first squad. He has kept a low profile since taking up the role of United States men’s national team head coach but his picks for two friendlies next month — against Panama and Mexico — will give an impression of the preferred direction of travel. Advertisement Sergino Dest isn’t going to get a call-up this time.
He is recovering from the anterior cruciate ligament injury he suffered at PSV Eindhoven last season. It cost him a Copa America place, though PSV still signed him from Barcelona on a free transfer . The 23-year-old’s return date is set for March and make no mistake: Pochettino will not be slow in integrating him once he is fit.
The full-back is one of the USMNT’s best. He’s also a showman, with an attitude Pochettino will appreciate. The Athletic ’s Greg O’Keeffe caught up with Dest for a full-on dissection of his game (which is free to read) — and to learn why he is all about the tricks.
In 2020, Dest became the first U.S. .