Norwich City Coach Addresses Josh Sargent’s Situation Amid Transfer Speculations

Norwich City head coach Philippe Clement recently announced that U.S. striker Josh Sargent has been reassigned to train with the club’s under-21 team, following his decision to abstain from participating in last weekend’s FA Cup match against Walsall.

Sargent’s choice to withdraw from the match coincides with a significant interest from Toronto FC, which has submitted an $18 million bid for the forward, potentially rising to $20 million with bonuses.

In a press conference ahead of this weekend’s English Championship match against Wrexham, Clement stated, “Josh has been training with the under-21s; what he has done is not acceptable. We want to focus on the players available and work towards improving our current position. Our primary focus is on Wrexham and achieving results.”

Clement further remarked, “You can only control what is controllable. This also applies to injuries. When he had a concussion, other players stepped up, and we managed to secure results. Ultimately, the outcome depends on him.”

At 25 years old, Sargent is a father of three young children and is reportedly eager to return to North America to be closer to family. A move to Toronto could also enhance his prospects within the U.S. Men’s National Team (USMNT) ahead of the upcoming World Cup, having not been called up since September and falling behind other forwards like Folarin Balogun, Ricardo Pepi, and Haji Wright.

Negotiations between Norwich and Toronto have been ongoing since December, but Norwich is currently holding out for a higher transfer fee. The club’s precarious position in the relegation zone, just one point away from safety behind Portsmouth, has added further complexity to the situation. Clement emphasized that Sargent will not be allowed to leave during this transfer window due to the club’s urgent need for players in their relegation battle.

“I’ve stated clearly that he will not be leaving in this window. It is not going to happen,” Clement affirmed. “This club is in a relegation fight, and we have a player under a two-and-a-half-year contract.”

He concluded, “There is a consensus among everyone at the club… we need to agree on a fee that is substantial enough given our current circumstances.”

Sargent has scored 44 goals in the last three Championship seasons and has netted seven times in 23 league appearances this season. For the USMNT, he has five goals in 29 appearances but has not scored for the national team since November 2019.