Sergiño Dest appears likely to miss the United States' pre-World Cup friendlies against Belgium and Portugal this month because a leg injury.
Dest was hurt during PSV Eindhoven's Dutch league match against AZ Alkmaar on Saturday, falling and grabbing at his left hamstring. The 25-year-old defender needed assistance to leave the field.
“PSV will not have Sergiño Dest at their disposal for the coming period, a medical examination revealed Sunday,” the team said in a statement, describing the ailment as an upper leg injury. “Exactly how long Dest will be sidelined is difficult to predict at this time.”
The U.S. hosts Belgium on March 28 and Portugal on April 1 at Atlanta in World Cup warmup matches. American coach Mauricio Pochettino plans to announce his roster in late May, before friendlies against Senegal on May 31 and Germany on June 6.
The 15th-ranked U.S. will start Group D against No. 40 Paraguay on June 12 in Inglewood, California, and then play 27th-ranked Australia six days later at Seattle. The Americans conclude the group stage on June 25 back at SoFi Stadium against the winner of playoffs among Turkey (25), Slovakia (44), Romania (49) and Kosovo (79).
PSV said Dest “is focused on a return toward the final stages of the season, with next summer’s World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico as an important goal in addition.”
Dest has two goals in 37 international appearances and started all four U.S. matches at the 2022 World Cup.
“I will do everything within my power to be back there top fit towards the end of the season and am confident that I will succeed,” Dest said in a statement released by the team.
If Dest is unable to play at the World Cup, Tim Weah could be an option at right back along with Alex Freeman and Joe Scally.
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
FILE - PSV's Sergino Dest runs with the ball during a Champions League opening phase soccer match between PSV and Bayern Munich in Eindhoven, Netherlands, Jan. 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong, File)
Minkah Fitzpatrick is coming home and filling a major need for the New York Jets.
The three-time All-Pro and five-time Pro Bowl safety and New Jersey native is being acquired by the Jets from the Miami Dolphins, two people with knowledge of the deal told The Associated Press on Monday. One of the people said New York will sign Fitzpatrick to a three-year, $40 million contract extension.
The Jets will send a seventh-round pick in this year's draft to the Dolphins in the deal, according to the people who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the trade can’t become official until the start of the NFL’s new league year on Wednesday.
The deal, first reported by ESPN, should immediately help the Jets, who became the first team in NFL history to go an entire season without an interception.
The 29-year-old Fitzpatrick, who had one year left on his contract with the Dolphins worth a non-guaranteed $15.6 million, was born in Old Bridge, New Jersey, and went to high school in Jersey City — about 25 miles from the Jets' training facility in Florham Park and less than 10 from MetLife Stadium, his new playing home.
It's the second major trade this offseason for the Jets, who are looking to upgrade their defense in coach Aaron Glenn's second season. New York acquired nose tackle T'Vondre Sweat from Tennessee for edge rusher Jermaine Johnson last month.
Glenn fired defensive coordinator Steve Wilks with three games left in the season and hired Brian Duker in January to oversee the defense, but he said he would call the plays this coming season. Duker and new safeties coach Ryan Slowik both came from Miami's staff and have familiarity with Fitzpatrick.
Safety was an area the Jets were expected to address in free agency, with Malachi Moore — who was solid in 14 starts as a rookie — the only player on the roster with significant playing time. Andre Cisco and Tony Adams, both of whom have been starters, are set to be free agents.
Fitzpatrick has 21 career interceptions, although he had only one in 14 games this past season for the Dolphins.
The deal comes on a day Miami announced it is moving on from Tua Tagovailoa as its quarterback. The team announced that Tagovailoa, who has been the main starter for the last 5 1/2 seasons, would be released.
Fitzpatrick was the 11th overall pick by the Dolphins in 2018 out of Alabama, where he helped the Crimson Tide win two national titles. He was traded by Miami two games into his second season to Pittsburgh, where he became one of the top players in the league at his position.
Fitzpatrick spent most of six seasons with the Steelers, making the All-Pro team three times while picking off 18 passes during that time. He became the NFL's highest-paid safety in 2022, when he signed a four-year, $73.6 million extension with the Steelers.
Fitzpatrick was traded back to the Dolphins last June in a blockbuster deal, going to Miami along with a 2027 fifth-round pick for cornerback Jalen Ramsey, tight end Jonnu Smith and a 2027 seventh-rounder.
AP Sports Writers Tim Reynolds and Alanis Thames contributed to this report.
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL
FILE - Miami Dolphins safety Minkah Fitzpatrick runs onto the field during player introductions before an NFL football game against the Buffalo Bills, Nov. 9, 2025, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Doug Murray)
