Norwich City are at a pivotal moment as Bundesliga side Wolfsburg ramps up their interest in forward Josh Sargent. Despite the growing speculation, the Canaries are resolute about Sargent's future. Manager Liam Manning has confirmed that both the club and the player are aligned regarding their current situation.
Sargent has become a sought-after talent following his recent performance, where he captained the team for 74 minutes against Zulte Waregem in Belgium. Reports suggest that he is open to a return to Germany, with Wolfsburg reportedly having made an offer in the region of £17 million. However, Norwich have yet to reach an agreement with any club for their prized forward.
Read more about Sargent Set for £21m Move to Wolfsburg as Talks Heat Up.
Manning expressed confidence in Sargent’s mindset amid the ongoing transfer discussions. "As I'm told now, that is the situation. Hence, why he played, and his attitude has been top. I can't sing his praises well enough, from that perspective," he stated. He added, "Until I'm told different, we'll keep working, we'll keep pushing him. And as far as I'm concerned, at the minute, he's still a Norwich player. So nothing should change until anything else happens."
Read more about Norwich City Face Key Transfer Decisions as Interest in Josh Sargent Dwindles.
The manager also highlighted Sargent’s leadership qualities, noting, “If the player is onboard that's the key bit. You see him as captain, leading by example, he spoke really well in the change room. You forget he's only 25 still... he’s been terrific out here, and we'll keep pushing him this coming week.”
In tandem with these developments, Norwich City are actively looking to add to their squad. The club are reportedly keen on securing Pelle Mattsson, a midfielder from Silkeborg valued at £2.5 million. Additionally, Serbian player Mirko Topic is among those under consideration as the Canaries aim to add to their central midfield.
Manning acknowledged the diligent work being done behind the scenes, stating, “Ben (Knapper) and Lee (Dunn) and the guys behind the scene are doing a great job, in terms of being proactive and pushing things and trying to add to what we've got already. Things are progressing, but there's definitely nothing at the minute.”
Norwich's summer signings have already begun to make an impact, including Mathias Kvistgaarden, who moved from Brøndby for £6.9 million. However, Manning revealed that the Danish forward was absent from recent friendlies, explaining, “It’s just a case of managing him back in and we have to make sure we get that right. We don't want to expose him too much too soon. We're just re-integrating him now, and pushing him along now at the right rate that he needs.”