Norwich’s Sargent Completes Move To Toronto

Norwich City striker Josh Sargent has completed a move to Toronto FC in a deal worth more than £20m.

The 26-year-old US international has signed a five-year contract with the Major League Soccer side after passing a medical.

The initial payment is believed to be about £15.5m, rising to more than £20m with add-ons, a potential record fee paid by an MLS club. The fee could eclipse Son Heung-min’s £20m-plus move to Los Angeles FC in August.

Canaries boss Philippe Clement told BBC Radio Norfolk: “I wish I could have kept him. It’s not the nicest and best situation, but finally there is an agreement. I wish him all the best. I really liked him as a player when we were working together.

“The club got a good price for a good striker, of course, as a manager you want to keep all your best players, but if there is the right amount of money for players we know that we are not in a situation to stop that.

“The good thing is there is clarity and money we can use in the summer to replace a striker with his quality. We need to move on and be happy for everybody.”

Sargent arrived at Carrow Road in 2021 for £8m from German side Werder Bremen.

He scored eight goals in 25 appearances in all competitions this season, but fell out of favour with Clement after declining to play in City’s FA Cup tie against Walsall last month.

The Belgian said his actions were “unacceptable” and Sargent was told to train with the under-21s.

“I don’t think he made the right decision not to play at that moment, but he will learn out of that and I wish him all the best, and I hope he is really successful in the MLS,” Clement said.

“It will be good for our club to show there are really good players coming out of this club.”

‘He chose to make this step’
The Norwich boss said despite the Walsall incident there was never a breakdown in their relationship and the door had been left open for Sargent to return to the first team, but he had chosen to make the move to Toronto.

“All the time there has been a good vibe in the dressing room,” Clement said.

“Everyone understood the story and that there was a mistake made, everyone understood that there was a way back for Josh, but he chose now to make this step for his career and that happens in football.

“All the players are like my children. With children you fight and have arguments. I had arguments with Josh but never a fight.