Sargent dropped from Norwich first-team training amid Toronto FC transfer rumours

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This article was published 16/01/2026 (257 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Forward Josh Sargent, reportedly a Toronto FC transfer target, has been dropped from first-team training by England’s Norwich City.

Norwich coach Philippe Clement says the 25-year-old U.S. international, who appears to be pushing for a move, will not be involved in Saturday’s game at Wrexham in England’s second-tier Championship play.

“Sargent is training with the second team,” the Belgian coach told his pre-match news conference on Friday. “What he did was not acceptable for anybody in the club. He knows (that) and that is the situation now, so I don’t think there’s much more to say about that now.

“My focus is on our games, our battle to come out of this relegation zone and to focus on all the players available, to get the best out of them and to get good performances. So there is my focus and the focus of everybody in the building.”

Norwich is currently 22nd in the 24-team Championship at 6-14-6.

“I’ve said that he’s not going to leave in this (transfer) window,” Clement said. “I said that, and it’s not going to happen … This club is in a relegation battle, and you have a player who has a 2 1/2-year contract still.”

“He needs to make himself available again,” he added.

However, Clement seemed to suggest Sargent’s departure would ultimately depend on how big the offer was.

“There’s alignment from everybody in the club. There needs to be an amount that the club agrees with, that’s big enough to do this.”

Toronto has reportedly submitted an offer of US$18 million.

Sargent and his club had been at odds of late as transfer rumours swirl. Clement said Sargent had not made himself available for last Sunday’s 5-1 win over League Two’s Walsall in FA Cup third-round play.

“Josh sent me a message (on Saturday) evening saying he would not be available because of transfer things in his head,” Clement was quoted by the BBC. “This is obviously not something we want, and will have consequences.”

Toronto has declined to comment on the Sargent speculation.

But GM Jason Hernandez has said landing a marquee attacker is a priority. Sargent, from O’Fallon, Mo., fits the bill.

Signing with Germany’s Werder Bremen on his 18th birthday, he scored 11 goals in 83 games across all competitions. Sargent made history in his senior debut against Fortuna Düsseldorf, scoring with his first touch to record the fastest goal by a debutant in the club’s history.

He joined Norwich on Aug. 9, 2021, on a four-year contract and has gone on to score 56 goals for the Canaries in 157 games. He subsequently signed a new deal that runs until 2028.

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On the international front, he became the youngest player to score for the U.S. at the FIFA Under-20 World Cup at the age of 17 in May 2017. Also in 2017, he became the first U.S. player to participate at the Under-17 and Under-20 World Cups and be called up to the senior team in the same calendar year.

That same year, he was named U.S. Soccer Young Male Player of the Year. Sargent has won 29 caps for the U.S. senior side with five goals and one assist.

Norwich recently signed Canadian international Ali Ahmed from the Vancouver Whitecaps. Former Canadian international Jim Brennan played for Norwich from 2003 to 2006.

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 16, 2026