David Prutton fires Josh Sargent warning to Norwich City as Burnley FC circle | OneFootball

David Prutton believes keeping hold of striker Josh Sargent could be crucial to Norwich City's promotion hopes next season.

Sky Sports pundit David Prutton believes Norwich City striker Josh Sargent could be capable of leading a promotion charge for the Canaries next season if he remains at Carrow Road.

Sargent joined Norwich from German side Werder Bremen in the summer of 2021 for a fee in the region of £8 million, and after a tough first season at the club that saw him score just two goals in 26 games in the Premier League, he has found a new lease of life in the Championship in recent years.

The 25-year-old has hit double figures for goals in each of the past three seasons in the second tier, and despite missing almost three months of the campaign with a groin injury, he still managed to net 15 goals and provide five assists in 33 appearances last term.

However, Sargent's goals were not enough to fire his side into the play-offs, with Norwich finishing in a disappointing 13th place, and he is widely expected to leave the club this summer amid strong transfer interest from elsewhere.

Sargent has been linked with the likes of Leeds United, Nottingham Forest, Roma and Wolfsburg in recent months, and FLW exclusively revealed last week that another newly-promoted top flight side in Burnley have now joined the race for his signature.

David Prutton issues Josh Sargent warning to Norwich City

After claiming that Sargent is one of the best strikers in the Championship, Prutton admitted that he believes keeping hold of the United States international could be key to Norwich's chances of achieving promotion next season.

"I think a fit and firing Josh Sargent is one of the best number nines in the Championship," Prutton said in an interview with Benjamin Bloom on his YouTube channel.

"In the team that had Pukki in, he had to operate a little bit around the main man, which is how it works, but he's got a chance now.

"This might be moot if he gets on his bike and leaves, but if he has a nice clean season of fitness, I think you've got someone there who can lead a promotion charge, very definitely."

A new era is underway at Carrow Road after Liam Manning left his role at Bristol City to replace Johannes Hoff Thorup as the Canaries' new head coach, but Prutton warned that the 39-year-old that he will need to deliver in the upcoming campaign after the club's underachievement last season.

"The season before last, Norwich finished in the play-offs and were put to the sword by Leeds, then they made a swift managerial change and that didn't work," Prutton said.

"They feel like they need to be making up for lost time."

It has been a positive summer so far for Norwich, with the club poaching Manning from a potential play-off rival in Bristol City and bringing in a number of new additions.

The Canaries have signed goalkeepers Daniel Grimshaw, Louie Moulden and Vladan Kovacevic and defenders Jakov Medic and Harry Darling this summer, but while that may help to solve their defensive problems, Manning could soon be dealt a huge blow in the attacking department if, as expected, Sargent departs Carrow Road.

Sargent averaged almost one goal every two games last season, so it will be incredibly difficult for Norwich to find a replacement who is anywhere near as prolific as him, and he may not be the only key player they lose this summer, with 19-goal top scorer Borja Sainz also looking set to move on amid interest from Porto, Napoli, Athletic Bilbao and Nottingham Forest.