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Jeff Carlisle
Norwich City‘s head coach Philippe Clement has announced that United States striker Josh Sargent will be training with the club’s under-21 team after he opted not to participate in the recent FA Cup match against Walsall.
Sargent’s decision coincided with Toronto FC‘s $18 million bid for him, which could escalate to $20 million with bonuses according to sources.
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Ahead of Norwich’s Championship match against Wrexham, Clement stated, “Josh has been working with the under-21s. His actions are not acceptable. We need to concentrate on the players at our disposal to improve our current situation. Our focus is entirely on Wrexham and achieving results.”
Clement also remarked, “You can only control what you can control. Injuries can affect the team; we’ve had players step up in the past when Josh was injured. The outcome depends on him.”
With three children under five years old, Sargent is reportedly eager to relocate to North America to be closer to family. A move to Toronto might also revitalize his chances of being part of the USMNT ahead of this summer’s World Cup.
The 25-year-old hasn’t received a national team call-up since September and has fallen behind players like Folarin Balogun, Ricardo Pepi, and Haji Wright.
Negotiations between Norwich and Toronto have been ongoing since December, but the Canaries are now seeking a higher transfer fee.
Norwich’s struggle against relegation, sitting only a point above the drop zone, has complicated the situation. Clement has firmly stated that Sargent will not be sold during this transfer window due to the club’s current predicament.
“I have made it clear that he will not leave during this window. That’s a definite. Our club is in a relegation fight, and we have a player who is under contract for two and a half years,” Clement noted. “Everyone at the club agrees that any potential offer has to be substantial given our current circumstances.”
Sargent has netted 44 goals over the last three Championship seasons and has scored seven times in 23 league appearances this season.
For the USMNT, he has registered five goals in 29 appearances but has not scored since November 2019.