Norwich City: Josh Sargent news must trigger Adam Idah transfer twist which leaves Celtic unhappy - View | OneFootball

Adam Idah may want a permanent transfer to Celtic this summer, but recent interest in Norwich City striker Josh Sargent could scupper that deal.

The Irish forward spent the second half of the season on loan at Celtic Park, after struggling to nail down a place in the Norwich side. His move turned out to be a fruitful one, as Idah scored eight times in 15 league matches to help fire the Hoops to a third consecutive league title.

His form will have attracted interest for a permanent move for the 23-year-old. Celtic have reportedly been told they will need to fork out £5 million to secure his signature. This is a hefty fee for a man who struggled to get into the Canaries' side, so could be a risk after just six months of fine form in Scotland.

However, any chance of that deal going through could be scuppered if recent interest in Sargent goes anywhere this summer.

Premier League clubs target Josh Sargent for summer move

According to reports from Alan Nixon, Brentford are targeting Sargent as a replacement for Ivan Toney in the summer.

He would be a cut-priced replacement for the England International, although Fulham and Bournemouth are also reportedly interested in signing the American forward.

Meanwhile, the printed edition of The Sunday Mirror (19/05, p70) [via Leeds United News] reports that Leeds United are also targeting a move for the Norwich ace.

His 16-goal haul, despite missing a big chunk of the season due to injury, has turned heads, although Leeds will need to beat Southampton in the play-off final if they want to compete with the top tier clubs for his signature.

If Norwich do sell Sargent to a top flight club in the summer, it could be an immediate block on Idah's move back to Celtic.

Idah could stay at Norwich amid Sargent interest

A lot has changed in recent weeks at Norwich, so keeping a familiar face at the club could be key to helping build on their performance this season.

With David Wagner's recent sacking and the proposed exit of Sargent, it has been a busy week for the Canaries. A defeat in the play-off semi-finals saw the manager lose his job, despite an impressive sixth-place finish in a competitive Championship campaign. A lot of their form can be attributed to Sargent, whose 16 goals in 26 matches saw their form drastically improve in the second half of the season.

If he leaves the club, they will lose significant firepower up front. The space he leaves in the squad would be perfect for a returning Idah, who proved how capable he was in a six-month spell at Celtic Park. His contract expires in 2028, so the Canaries are in no rush to let the Irishman leave the club any time soon from a valuation point of view.

With 34-year-old Ashley Barnes the top scoring striker in the squad (after Sargent), it is clear that a replacement for the USMNT striker is needed. Idah fits the bill perfectly, as he already knows the club and has showcased his talents in a title-winning side in Celtic.

It is unlikely that Norwich would leave themselves so short in attack, especially with the uncertainty over which manager will be in charge next season. If Sargent does leave, Idah would have more chances in the first team, and from the club's point of view, keep some stability in the squad during a tumultuous time at Carrow Road.

Norwich recently announced that Idah would return to the club as part of their retained players list. While this doesn't rule out a move to Celtic, it doesn't set a permanent move back to Glasgow in stone. Any failure to retain the striker will upset the SPL champions, who will likely have to look elsewhere for a new centre forward in the summer if Norwich hold firm amid the backdrop of Sargent's potential exit.