Norwich City: Missing out on Ipswich Town signing has been blessing in disguise - View | OneFootball

It has been an outstanding few months for Norwich City in the Championship.

The Canaries made a strong start to the season, but their form declined significantly in September and October, and they sat as low as 17th in the table in early November.

Pressure was increasing on head coach David Wagner, but the board stuck with the German, and they have been rewarded for their patience, with Norwich emerging as serious promotion contenders in recent months.

The Canaries picked up a crucial 1-0 win over Preston North End at Deepdale on Saturday, with Gabriel Sara's 86th-minute strike sealing all three points to cement his side's place in the play-off spots.

Norwich currently sit sixth in the table, and they are six points clear of seventh-placed Hull City, although the Tigers do have a game in hand.

One of the most memorable moments of Norwich's excellent run of form was the 1-0 win over Ipswich Town in the East Anglia derby earlier this month, which means the Canaries are now unbeaten against their bitter rivals in 15 years.

Norwich and Ipswich also did battle in the January transfer window, with the pair said to have been competing with Sunderland, Cardiff City and Leeds United for the signature of Bournemouth striker Kieffer Moore, but it was the Tractor Boys who won the race.

Canaries supporters would likely have been frustrated to miss out on a proven Championship goalscorer like Moore, particularly to Ipswich, but it has meant that Josh Sargent has been given a consistent run in the team, and he has been key to their promotion push.

Josh Sargent form has eased Norwich City's Kieffer Moore disappointment

Sargent began the season in impressive form for Norwich, scoring three goals in his first five games in all competitions, but he suffered a serious knee injury in August that kept him out for over four months.

Since making his return in late December, Sargent has picked up where he left off, scoring 13 goals in 20 appearances, taking his tally to 15 for the season.

Sargent has established himself as one of the most dangerous strikers in the Championship in recent months, and he has received high praise from Wagner, who believes there is plenty more to come from the USA international.

"I never get tired of talking about Josh Sargent, provided he is healthy. I need to think about all the strikers I have worked with, but for sure, he ranks in the top three," Wagner told the Pink Un last month. "Maybe he is the best one because he’s complete.

"I still think he is not on his top-level fitness-wise. He had this after the pre-season in the first five weeks of the season, but he is on the way to doing so. It will never change the fact that he is a complete striker with all the attributes that he has.

"We are very happy to have him and that he does what you ask your strikers to do, which is to put the ball in the back of the net.”

The 24-year-old is certainly loved at Carrow Road, but he is also attracting interest from elsewhere, with Premier League duo Brentford and Wolverhampton Wanderers both reportedly keeping tabs on him ahead of the summer transfer window.

Sargent's full focus will be on helping his side reach the top flight this season, and the club will be desperate to keep hold of him in the summer, but they could be vulnerable to losing him if they miss out on promotion.

While Norwich would be reluctant to see Sargent depart, his current form means they could demand at least £10 million for his services, which would allow Wagner to reinvest in his squad.

Missing out on Moore in January has not only allowed Sargent to cement his place in the team and fire the Canaries up the table, but it has also saved the club money.

According to journalist Alex Crook, Ipswich are covering 75 per cent of Moore's wages during his time at Portman Road, and he will likely have been on a sizeable salary at Bournemouth, while the Cherries are due to receive bonus payments if the Tractor Boys are promoted.

Moore has scored six goals in 15 appearances for Ipswich so far, with Sargent scoring almost double that in the same time period, so from a financial and football perspective, failing to win the race for Moore has been a blessing in disguise for Norwich.

It will be a tough task for the Canaries to win the play-offs this season given the teams they will be competing against, but with Sargent in the side, they will certainly carry a goal threat.