Exclusive: Don Goodman backs Josh Sargent replacement at Norwich City that cost just £6.9m | OneFootball

Don Goodman has given his verdict on whether new Norwich City striker Mathias Kvistgaarden can replace Josh Sargent's goals at Carrow Road.

Pundit Don Goodman believes new Norwich City striker Mathias Kvistgaarden will be capable of replacing Josh Sargent's goals next season at Carrow Road.

After missing out on the play-offs in the Championship last season, Norwich have already lost one of their key players this summer, with winger Borja Sainz, who scored 19 goals and provided four assists in 43 games last season, completing a £14.25 million move to Porto last week.

However, the Canaries could be set for another huge transfer blow after sporting director Ben Knapper revealed on Tuesday that there is "big interest" in star striker Josh Sargent, including from "big clubs in the big five leagues" across Europe.

Sargent scored 15 goals and registered five assists in 33 appearances for Norwich last season, and as FLW exclusively revealed last month, newly-promoted Premier League side Burnley are keen on the US international, while he has also been linked with the likes of Roma and Wolfsburg, but it remains to be seen whether his reported £20 million valuation will be a stumbling block for his suitors.

While it is not yet certain that Sargent will depart, it appears the Canaries are preparing for life after the 25-year-old as they fought off competition from Scottish giants Celtic and French outfit Lens to sign Brondby striker Kvistgaarden for a fee of £6.9 million earlier this month.

Don Goodman makes Mathias Kvistgaarden claim ahead of expected Josh Sargent, Norwich City exit

Speaking exclusively to Football League World, Goodman admitted that there will be pressure on Kvistgaarden to fill Sargent's shoes at Norwich next season, but he backed the 23-year-old to perform well in the Championship.

"I haven't seen Kvistgaarden play, but looking at his stats and his numbers, he scored 17 goals in the Danish top league last season," Goodman said.

"He looks like he's strong aerially.

"When you move to a new club, there's always pressure, no matter whose place in the team you are taking.

"You want to endear yourself to your new fans, just as Josh Sargent did when taking over from Teemu Pukki as the main striker.

"It's something that I'm pretty sure he'll embrace.

"He's a young, confident man, and it looks like Norwich are putting together a pretty decent team there."

Norwich City may have unearthed another gem in Mathias Kvistgaarden

Of course, new Norwich head coach Liam Manning would not have wanted to lose both Sainz and Sargent after taking over at Carrow Road, but the club will likely have been preparing for their departures for some time.

As Goodman said, the Canaries have done some strong transfer business this summer, and given his impressive goalscoring record at Brondby, Kvistgaarden looks to be the club's standout signing, with Manning revealing that he is "super excited" by the striker's arrival.

Kvistgaarden will need time to adapt to the Championship, but he has plenty of attributes that should make him a real threat for Norwich next season, and if he can replicate the form he produced in Denmark, the £6.9 million fee the club paid for him could be viewed as something of a bargain in the years to come.