A new era is beginning at Carrow Road, with Liam Manning preparing for his debut season as Norwich City manager.
The 39-year-old has welcomed Jacob Wright, Jakov Medic, Harry Darling, Louie Moulden, and Daniel Grimshaw to his squad this summer, with anticipation growing for the 2025/26 season.
However, it is not all good news in Norfolk, as forward Josh Sargent is increasingly likely to leave the club in the coming months.
The USMNT striker has 44 goals in the last three Championship seasons, attracting the interest of numerous potential suitors as a result.
Football League World recently disclosed exclusively that Scott Parker’s Burnley were interested in signing the forward, while Leeds United, Nottingham Forest, and Roma have all been linked.
However, Sargent’s life at Carrow Road was not always so prosperous.
Josh Sargent overcame early obstacles to prosper at Norwich City.
In the summer of 2021, the Canaries paid £8 million for Sargent, who was then 21 years old, as they sought Premier League survival.
The USMNT striker recorded 15 goals in 83 Werder Bremen games and was full of potential. However, the attacker struggled to understand the English game.
Sargent scored only twice in his first 26 games for Norwich, who were immediately relegated to the Championship; he was also frequently accommodated out wide, rather than in the central position for which he was bought.
Some slammed the teenage forward, fearing he wouldn’t make it to the Canaries after struggling in England’s top division.
However, the Norfolk club persisted with him and has reaped the benefits ever since, albeit at a lower level than he was signed at.
Sargent has emerged as one of the Championship’s deadliest operators over the last three seasons, scoring 44 times.
The forward, together with Borja Sainz, helped form one of the division’s most deadly attacking units last season, and he might potentially be ready for a move that would result in clear career advancement and possibly another look at the Premier League.
Norwich may be resigned to losing Joshua Sargent, but they should see a substantial return on their investment.
After three seasons of consistently good performances, it appears that the time has come for Sargent to leave Carrow Road.
With so much interest from the Premier League and abroad, it would be difficult to keep the USMNT international at the club, but Norwich might exploit this position to their advantage.
| Sargent in the Championship last season, as per WhoScored | |
|---|---|
| Starts (Sub) | 28 (4) |
| Goals | 15 |
| Assists | 5 |
| xG | 13.93 |
| Shots per 90 | 2 |
| Pass success rate | 80.4% |
The large number of clubs interested in signing Sargent should allow the Canaries to charge a high sum for his services, which would significantly mitigate the impact of losing the goalscorer.
As a result, Manning could spend the proceeds from this transaction back into his squad, raising the overall calibre of the team at Carrow Road.
Losing the 25-year-old would be difficult for Norwich, but it could give them a greater opportunity of competing higher in the Championship next season.
The Canaries’ ultimate goal is to be promoted to the Premier League, and Sargent’s sale could help them get there.
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