Many blogs and companies have created lists titled ‘Top 100 Footballers in the World’ or ‘The Best XI in the World’. These lists are fun to look at and imagine all these great players working together, but some have unimaginable fees, which make transfers seem almost impossible.
Underrated Players 2020: Sergiño Dest
These lineups are nothing more than fantasies, so here at Last Word On Football, we wanted to create a more useful and realistic list. Here are our picks for the bargain XI of 2020. These are the players whose market values are much lower than what they bring to the pitch, or maybe their club is willing to let them go for a low price. This is the second entry into this series and we will be continuing with our pick for the right-back position.
The First Field Position
Our Pick – Sergiño Dest
Club – Ajax
Age – 19
Strengths – Passing, Key Passing, and Dribbling
Weaknesses – Aerial Duels
Market Value – $13.68 million
Our Estimate – $23 million
Sergiño Dest: An Overview
Dest is still establishing himself but this makes sense because he is still a teenager. In the past year, Dest has started to break through into Ajax’s starting lineup and he is now an established figure in the United States. Just a few months ago, Dest made a massive decision, choosing to play for the USMNT instead of the Netherlands, as he had citizenship for both countries. This may not have headlines in Europe, as the Oranje already have a stacked defense but in the USA, Dest was a big announcement. Dest will help to reinforce a lacking USA backline, as he is disciplined beyond his age.
Dest is a product of Ajax’s famous youth system. He has been working his way up through their teams, until finally reaching the first squad in 2019. He may be very new to the professional scene, but he fits right in. When he was recruited to the first team in September 2019, his market value was only $684,000, but his value has skyrocketed after a series of impressive performances. He is still only valued at $13.68 million, and is a risky prospect, having such little experience, but if a club were to take a risk and buy him, they could get much more than their money’s worth.
Style of Play
Dest is an amazing defender who knows when to step into a challenge and wins most of his ground duels. Yet he brings more to the pitch, Dest has a vision for the pitch, developed beyond his age, allowing him to start attacks from the back with a variety of great passes and dribbling skills. This is why Dest fits perfectly into Ajax’s play, as he can win the ball and then start a counter-attack.
Dest is a well-rounded player, who is young and still improving, while already being a quality player. His market value is still cheap, as he is only 19, but he can be bought for a profit, as he is quickly improving.
Next week we will be choosing the picks for the center-pack positions. This will be a hard position to choose, as it is a very important position right in front of goal, so teams don’t risk putting youngsters in. Check back next week for the picks and to see how we solve this problem.
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