Football League World
·16 August 2024
Norwich City: "Big problem" outlined if Josh Sargent cashed in on
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Football League World
·16 August 2024
Josh Sargent has received interest from elsewhere, but Norwich have been urged to not let him go for cheap.
This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…
Norwich City have entered a new era under Johannes Hoff Thorup.
The Canaries endured a shaky opening fixture last weekend to kick off their Championship campaign as they came up against newly-promoted Oxford United, who were in high spirits.
Oxford earned a surprise 2-0 victory on opening day, which left some Norwich fans concerned about the season ahead. Off the pitch, there have been huge blows to the club, as last season's star man, Gabriel Sara, departed for Galatasaray, and key striker, Adam Idah, joined Celtic on a permanent deal.
On top of that, Jon Rowe, looks to be on his way out imminently, with Leeds and Marseille submitting offers for the player. Ahead of last weekend's defeat to Norwich, Rowe reportedly decided to withdraw himself from the matchday squad, which would have surely caused some disruptions.
It has been a rough few weeks for the Canaries, with their one bit of fortune coming in a 4-3 win over Stevenage in the Carabao Cup, but it looks as though their transfer blows are not over, with striker Josh Sargent attracting interest.
According to a report from The Athletic, Bournemouth have joined MLS clubs, St Louis City and FC Cincinnati, in having an interest in Norwich's Josh Sargent recently.
The 24-year-old's contract still has four years remaining on it, so if he was to depart this summer, Norwich would be owed a sizeable fee. Sargent has been a key player for the Canaries since signing back in August 2021, scoring a total of 33 goals in all competitions.
Last season, the forward suffered an ankle injury, but when he was fit he was one of the most prolific strikers in the league, scoring an impressive 16 goals in 24 starts.
After the loss of Sara and Idah, Norwich will be desperate not to lose yet another valuable player, so will have to be harsh when negotiating any potential deal for Sargent.
Sargent's goals this season will be vital in the Championship, so if he was to depart, Norwich would have to somehow find a replacement, which could end up being a tricky task.
FLW's Norwich City fan pundit, Zeke Downes, was not willing to see Sargent leave, unless his club are offered the right amount of money.
"I was a bit surprised by the US clubs being linked to Sargent, I think they're a bit below his level. Bournemouth, I knew about and expected with Solanke leaving. I think that would be a good fit for them.
"I wouldn't let him go because replacing him is a big problem, but if they offer £20 million, I'd take it. I think if Norwich are offered 15, they'd take it, but then we'd need two strikers instead of just the one from Adam Idah, because then we're only left with Ashley Barnes.
"We would need to get another player in and finding a striker that gets as many goals as he does in this league is very difficult, especially for a cheap fee, but Sargent also doesn't look like he quite fits Thorup's style, so it might be a smart move.
"He also gets injured a fair amount, so I can see it happening if they're offered £15 million. I'd rather have it at £20 million, I wouldn't accept 15, but I think the club probably would."