Norwich City head coach Liam Manning has urged key star Josh Sargent to keep his head down amid constant transfer speculation linking him with a move away from Carrow Road.
Alongside Borja Sainz, the 25-year-old formed one half of one of the Championship’s most formidable attacks last season. Although the Canaries underwhelmed, the duo contributed 33 goals and nine assists between them.
Sainz has already departed for Portuguese giants FC Porto, with Sargent also expected to move onto pastures new before the end of the transfer window. Norwich accepted a £20 million bid from Bundesliga outfit Wolfsburg earlier this week, but the deal fell through. It has since emerged that the striker rejected the deal.
Manning Full Of Praise For Sargent
With a move to Germany looking off for the time being, it is looking increasingly likely that the USA international will remain in East Anglia for the season opener against Millwall in two weeks’ time. He has featured in pre season, although was forced off injured in yesterday’s 0-0 draw with ADO Den Haag.
Speaking about the ongoing transfer saga, Manning was full of praise for his attacker but urged him to drown out the noise:
“I think what he has done a terrific job of is just coming in and enjoying his football. The way he put himself about in this game, you could never question his focus.
“He competed, he led, and the last 10 days his impact on and off the pitch has been fantastic. I have said that to him.
“I’ve got a really good relationship with him and, because of that, I can just say to him, ‘Keep your head down and worry about your football until anything changes’.
“He is very much ‘all in’ on what we are doing at the moment.
“I’ll probably repeat what I have said already on this trip. Top person, top professional. You have seen in this game the connection he has with the fans.”
Writer’s View
Sargent seems to be a player with his head screwed on. We’ve seen so many times how players try to force moves, but the striker continues to put his all in at his current employers and doesn’t seem to be in a rush to depart the club for the sake of it. A big money transfer to Wolfsburg looked a formality but the former Werder Bremen man rejected the deal and now looks as if he could remain at Carrow Road – for the time being anyway. Manning will be delighted if he does retain his services, as he is a player that could be the difference in the race for a top six finish.
