Norwich City look set to be pushing for a play-off place in the Championship, especially if Josh Sargent can remain fit up front and among the goals, which he certainly has been recently.
Following a decline in performance at the end of 2023, many fans demanded the dismissal of head coach David Wagner. However, the board chose to stick with the 52-year-old.
Sargent in particular has been essential to their success from the start of the year. He came from Werder Bremen to the club in August 2021 for a little over £8 million, and with 13 goals in his first season back in the second division.
In his first four Championship games, the forward not only scored three goals but also provided an assist. Norwich finished the season with 10 points out of a possible 12.
But in August’s 4-0 victory over Huddersfield Town, the 24-year-old suffered a significant injury to his ankle ligament, and Wagner stated in September that he did not anticipate having him return until the New Year.
Although goals have not been an issue for Norwich this season—only the top four teams vying for automatic promotion have scored more—the Canaries’ pursuit of the top six has been greatly aided by Sargent’s comeback.
He has scored nine goals in 14 games since his injury return, continuing his early-season form and showing what the Norwich team has been lacking—more than just a goal—by being the center of attention that unites the entire assault and pinning the opposition.
| Josh Sargent’s Norwich City career stats – per Transfermarkt 14/03/24 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Appearances | Goals | Assists |
| 2021/22 | 31 | 6 | 3 |
| 2022/23 | 41 | 13 | 2 |
| 2023/24 | 19 | 12 | 1 |
Josh Sargent’s Norwich future
Higher tier teams were bound to take notice of such performance, and Alan Nixon (via his Patreon account) claims that Brentford is considering the USMNT international as a potential Ivan Toney replacement.
The club is keeping an eye on Sargent as a potential option to bolster their attacking options, even if he is not necessarily a like-for-like player in Toney’s mold.
Sargent signed a new five-year contract earlier this season, which extends until the summer of 2028, making it more difficult to pry him from the Canaries
When it comes to assessing the value of the American, Norwich might want to go to Coventry; the sale of Viktor Gyokeres could serve as a gauge for a player like Sargent.
When the 2022–2023 season came to a close and Coventry was painfully lost in the Championship play-off final, Gyokeres and fellow star Gustavo Hamer were sure to be gone.
After protracted negotiations, Sporting CP emerged victorious in the battle for the services of the then-25-year-old, and that event occurred in early July.
While there is no denying that Sargent’s career trajectory is likely to resemble that of the huge Swede, who has achieved incredible success for the Portuguese powerhouses, both players provide more than just goals.
They will spread the field by going through the channels and rearranging the opposition to make room for their teammates.
Gyokeres’ performance supports the importance of Sargent’s status as a consistent scorer in the Championship, which could lead to a sharp increase in Sargent’s fee—possibly even more than Cov themselves was paid.
Gyokeres is proof positive that the second tier is rife with talent. At 24, Sargent is comparable in age to Gyokeres and ought to get a comparable price in the summer, whether he decides to relocate to Brentford or another location.
GET MORE NEWS HERE