The striker now has 11 goals in 15 league games, making him one of English soccer's most dangerous strikers this season
When Josh Sargent began to break through with the U.S. youth national teams, American soccer fans quickly anointed him as a future star. He had everything you'd want out of a modern striker. The key, though, would be when it would all click together. He had the talent, but at what point would that potential combine with experience to produce a true star striker?
Over the last few years, many thought that day may not truly come. An ill-advised club decision stalled Sargent's career before it really started. A move to the Premier League then came a bit too soon. Sargent made it all the way to the 2022 World Cup roster, of course, but as a puzzle piece, not as the star of the show.
Now, staring down another chance at a major tournament, it's all starting to finally come together for the 24-year-old. Sargent is starting to look like the player that many believed would dominate at the highest levels of the game. It could be argued that Sargent is the world's most in-form striker at the moment, and there's no bias to that statement. Aside from perhaps Harry Kane, there's no No.9 in the world right now running up numbers like Sargent.
The American has found his feet at club level, and he's beginning to reach the heights many expected of him. As a result, it appears he's heading for a big summer. Big clubs are taking notice of his success with Norwich this season, while on the international stage, Sargent has turned a two-horse race for the USMNT's starting striker berth into a three-horse race ahead of the Copa America. As things stand, he may just be in the lead, too.
Sargent, then, is having a career-altering season, and it's coming at the right time for both him and his national team.
GettyOvercoming injury
It seems so long ago now, but Sargent started sending messages that he was perhaps set for a memorable campaign from the moment the season started. He scored in three of Norwich's first four games in the Championship, netting in a 4-4 draw with Southampton, a 3-1 win over Millwall and a 4-0 victory over Huddersfield Town that showed that the Canaries were ready to fight for promotion.
Then, disaster struck. On August 26, Sargent damaged ligaments in his ankle, forcing him to undergo surgery that would keep him out until the final match of 2023. In his first match of 2024, though, his second since returning, Sargent was right back on the scoresheet, scoring in a 1-1 draw with Southampton.
“I didn't feel my ankle at all," he told at the time. "Coming back from injury, in your head, you think 'am I going to be the same player, is everything going to work out?', so it's amazing to get on the scoresheet and hopefully I can return to good form. It's been a long time, I still need to get in shape, my conditioning needs to get better, but it's obviously a very good feeling to be back on the pitch with the boys.”
That was just the beginning, though. The American has been nothing short of unstoppable since.
AdvertisementGettyGoal after goal
Since making his return, Sargent has scored eight goals in his last 11 league games. That number includes seven in his last eight matches, with Norwich dropping just seven points during that stretch.
Since the start of February, Sargent has been held scoreless just once, having found the net against Coventry City, QPR, Watford, Cardiff City (twice) and Sunderland. Sargent's goal explosion has helped make Norwich one of the Championship's most in-form teams, with the Canaries now sitting seventh and very much in the hunt for a promotion playoff spot.
His most recent goal, the one against Sunderland, was the match-winner, the only one needed to lead Norwich to victory. It was all effort, too, as Sargent took advantage of some lackluster attempts to clear from the Sunderland defense to pounce.
Right now, it seems that everything is bouncing Sargent's way. Being a successful striker is marrying luck with confidence, and Sargent is flowing with both at the moment. Because of that, he's putting up numbers that no other striker in England can keep up with.
GettyCrunching the numbers
The goal against Sunderland was Sargent's 11th of the season in just 978 league minutes. He's averaging a goal every 89 minutes, the best minutes-per-goal ratio of any player across England's top four leagues. Yes, it's even better Erling Haaland's mark of a goal every 103 minutes in the Premier League.
Now, there's no comparing Sargent and Haaland. The latter is probably the best striker in the world and dominating at the highest level, while Sargent is still a player eager to prove he can be one of the best in the Championship. So far, though, he's doing just that. As things stand, Sargent is ninth in the league in scoring, but league leader Sammie Szmodics has played 33 games to Sargent's 15. In fact, every player above Sargent has played at least 12 more matches than the American striker.
It just goes to show how good Sargent has been, and top-flight clubs are beginning to take notice.
GettyPremier League links
Sargent already got one crack at the Premier League, and it didn't go particularly well. After struggling at Werder Bremen due to the German club's total inability to do much of anything right, Sargent moved to Norwich, another team who were tipped to struggle. That was exactly what happened in 2021-22 as the Canaries were relegated, with Sargent scoring just two Premier League goals across 26 appearances.
Sargent, though, has grown since then. Last season, his first in the Championship, he scored 13 goals. This season, having seemingly grown in confidence, Sargent has had his breakout campaign, leaving many wondering how good he can be if given another chance at the top table.
That's the big question, isn't it? Sargent has proven that he can score in the Championship, but the Premier League is a different beast. At 24, he's more ready than he was at 21, but if Norwich do fail to get promoted on their own this season, what will Sargent's next step look like?
Premier League clubs are reportedly already eager to find out. Brentford have been linked with Sargent, with the Bees seeing him as a potential Ivan Toney replacement. Betting scandal aside, Toney has been one of the most valuable strikers in the Premier League for years. Replacing him would be no easy task, so it speaks volumes that Sargent is apparently on the shortlist to do that.
Former Norwich forward Chris Sutton believes it may just be a matter of time for Sargent, having proven himself as a legitimate dangerman in the Championship. Sutton told : “I don't think the jury is out on him anymore – but he does need to get into a rhythm and show some consistency. That is the next aim for him to propel his career even further. When he was out of Norwich’s team, it was obvious how much he was missed. Sargent will have been boosted even more by that. Scoring goals is about confidence, and he is oozing it at the moment.
"Given how he started his career at Norwich, he looks a player transformed. After a tough season in the Premier League, he was probably wondering whether he actually had a future at the club. Now the position has shifted where Norwich will be worrying about keeping him heading into the summer.”