Norwich City striker Josh Sargent has emerged as a transfer target for Bundesliga outfit VFL Wolfsburg, according to German media outlet Kicker.
The 25-year-old joined the Canaries in a reported £8 million deal from Werder Bremen. He has since contributed 48 goals and 12 assists in 133 appearances and has recently formed a formidable attack with teammate Borja Sainz.
Despite the duo’s antics in front of goal, Norwich underwhelmed last season, finishing 13th and 11 points off the play-off places. This led to the departure of Johannes Hoff Thorup in April, where he was eventually replaced by Bristol City boss Liam Manning.
The new head coach is now tasked with building his squad ahead of the new season, but still faces constant speculation surrounding the future of one of his key players.
Wolfsburg Latest Team To Express Interest
It is claimed that Wolfsburg may turn their attention to the United States international after suffering many departures at the end of last season. They are also keen on Wolverhampton Wanderers forward Fabio Silva, who has just enjoyed a successful loan spell with Las Palmas. Despite their relegation from La Liga, the 22-year-old found the back of the net 10 times in 24 outings.
It appears as if a move for the Portuguese prospect is out of the picture though, with the report stating that the transfer seems unlikely, if not impossible.
This has made Sargent a priority target, although he is likely to cost a hefty sum. The attacker is under contract at Carrow Road until 2028 and has already attracted interest from Italian giants AS Roma, as well as Premier League new-boys Leeds United. The Whites are managed by Daniel Farke, who brought Sargent to Norwich during his time in charge with the club.
Addressing the speculation of an imminent exit in March, the striker claimed he was happy with life in East Anglia:
“I have a contract here at Norwich. I’m very happy, my family is very happy here so it’s no way saying I’m gone.
“I’m very happy with the manager and the team. I was just trying to say there will be options but that’s not to say I’m definitely leaving – that’s a decision for my family and me to make and obviously the club has to agree to me leaving in the first place.”
Writer’s View
It does appear likely that Sargent could leave Norwich this summer. Both him and Borja Sainz are attracting major interest and Liam Manning will be keen to reach a conclusion quickly so he can start making plans for his first season at Carrow Road. Although Sargent has previously stated he was happy at the club, he did list previous head coach Johannes Hoff Thorup as an influence. The Dane has now departed and it will be interesting to see if the striker’s stance has changed.
