"A complete number 9" - Tottenham and Denmark pair backed to replace Norwich City's Josh Sargent | OneFootball

FLW writers have their say on who Norwich City should look to as a replacement for Josh Sargent this summer.

Norwich City striker Josh Sargent is likely to be a target for a number of clubs this summer, with a host of top-flight clubs keen on the USMNT attacker.

Darren Witcoop has claimed that Sargent will be on the move this summer after Norwich's failed promotion attempt, whilst a report from The Sunday Mirror (19/5/2024, p70) claimed that Leeds United are one of a number of clubs interested in the striker.

The report also states that there is plenty of other competition for the 24-year-old's signature, including Premier League trio Bournemouth, Brentford and Fulham. Whilst Wolverhampton Wanderers and Brentford have both been linked with a move for him in recent months and after seeing the Canaries stay in the second tier, a number of sides could potentially see this as an opportunity to swoop for the player.

Daniel Farke signed the forward for the Canaries for £8 million from Werder Bremen in August 2021 and the striker has developed well in the second tier since then. He netted 16 goals in 30 appearances in all competitions last season and enjoyed the best goal-scoring form of his career so far under now ex-boss David Wagner, despite an ankle injury earlier in the season that ruled him out for four months.

Josh Sargent expected to leave Norwich City

Sargent is expected to move on this summer after Norwich lost out in the play-off semi-finals to Leeds, and a player of his quality will require replacing by the Canaries for 2024/25.

Here, we ask our FLW writers their verdict on who should fill his boots for next season.

Adam Elliott

Sargent has gone from strength-to-strength during his two campaigns in the Championship and developed as a player, meaning it will likely take an eight-figure sum, potentially as high as £15 to 20 million, to convince the Canaries to part ways with their star striker this summer.

Sargent staying is unrealistic now, even though he would be key to a potential promotion push next season, but if they can use that money to make a few marquee signings, then it could be worth it.

Such a fee could source a decent replacement at second tier level, albeit there may have to be a risk or two taken by the recruitment team.

When looking at FBref and their similar players section, the player that is statistically similar to Sargent is a familiar name to fans of the EFL, in Spurs' Troy Parrott, and the young striker ticks plenty of boxes for Norwich.

Despite his previous struggles at Championship level with the likes of Preston North End and Millwall, a temporary spell away from Tottenham Hotspur with Eredivisie outfit Excelsior has proved to be more than beneficial to Parrott.

This season has already proven to be the 22-year-old's most prolific, and with still a year left on his contract in North London, second tier clubs could be hoping he's the answer to their goalscoring problems.

The Republic of Ireland international would be an ideal target on this particular front should Sargent depart in the summer.

If someone were to mention the name Parrott a couple of seasons ago as a potential prolific striking option for a Championship side, the suggestion would certainly raise a few eyebrows, but after his performances abroad this season, he could be set for a big opportunity in English football once again.

The 22-year-old has spent five years as a senior pro at Tottenham and was considered one of the club's hottest prospects at just 17 years old. Parrott earned his first loan move to the Championship when he was just 18, as he arrived at the Den to play for Millwall.

That didn't work out as planned, and time was running out for Parrott as he was now the age at which strikers are expected to blossom in the modern game but he was struggling to find goals in the Championship wherever he went.

People will point to Parrott's poor form at second tier level during those previous loan spells (scoring just three goals in 43 games), but the Irishman has enjoyed a very successful 2023/24 season, and deserves another chance in the second tier.

The final solution was to try his luck abroad and this turned out to be the best decision of his career to date. This season he has scored 10 goals in 18 league starts for Dutch club Excelsior on loan from Spurs and looks to finally be finding regular goals, albeit in the Netherlands.

It's been a real coming of age for a player that is surely now Championship ready, and primed to break out at last. Excelsior is where the 22-year-old has shown his star potential.

Not only that, but with just a year left on his deal at Spurs, he could be available for an affordable price, and Norwich should certainly be interested in him this summer.

It's easy to see the similarities between Sargent and Parrott as high-intensity, athletic, pressing strikers. Both work the channels and run in behind all game, and the Irishman could explode in the same way Sargent has after fulfilling more of his early potential.

They will undoubtedly face competition from other Championship clubs if they opt to chase his signature, so it would be a coup if Johannes Hoff Thorup and co. managed to bring him in as their main striker ahead of next season.

Ben Wignall

It does feel inevitable that Sargent will be departing Carrow Road this summer, but Norwich should be confident about getting a big fee for the American, who now seems more ready for the Premier League than he was previously.

You'd imagine that Johannes Hoff Thorup will get a chance to spend some money to replace the American, although it is sporting director Ben Knapper who will likely be making the final decisions, and the likeliest best value for money is going to come overseas.

And it would be even less of a surprise if Knapper looked to the Denmark area to find a Sargent successor, given Thorup knows it very well and Scandinavia is rife with young talent who are ready to take the next step.

Andri Gudjohnsen, who is the son of ex-Chelsea and Barcelona man Eidur - has moved to Gent of Belgium after a fantastic 2023-24 campaign and would have probably been even more suited to the Canaries, but a player who could be a great fit is Alexander Lind.

The 21-year-old is currently plying his trade for Silkeborg, where he scored 10 times in the Superliga last season, and he looks to be somewhat of a complete number nine who is relatively quick, is tricky with his feet but is also strong and can score with his head.

One issue is that Lind reportedly has a fear of flying - something he is trying to get over - but there are ways and means of getting around that when it comes to a transfer to another country, and he could be the big signing that Norwich need to inevitably replace Sargent.