Josh Sargent’s European career began in the German Bundesliga and his next chapter could reportedly be back there as well.
VfL Wolfsburg is interested in acquiring Sargent this summer, German outlet Kicker reported Tuesday. Sargent is currently under contract with English Football League Championship side Norwich City.
The U.S. men’s national team forward kickstarted his career with Werder Bremen, where he tallied 15 goals in 83 appearances from 2018-21. Sargent eventually moved to Norwich City following their promotion to the English Premier League.
Sargent has scored 48 goals in 133 appearances for the Canaries in all competitions. He’s tallied 10+ or more goals in each of the last three seasons, which has led to growing interest in his services elsewhere.
Norwich City missed out on the promotion playoffs last spring and ultimately could lose Sargent to a top-flight club in England, Italy or Germany. AS Roma, Leeds United, and Burnley have all reportedly expressed interest in the Missouri native.
Wolfsburg finished 11th in the Bundesliga last season and already has one American on their books in former DC United winger Kevin Paredes.
DaveP.
Hoffenheim are Blue/white. Josh’s hair color will stand out better.
But Bundesliga uniforms in general are awful. They look like 1980’s junior college soccer strips.
Serie A or the EPL in terms of fashion.
On uniform / hair color coordination, it’s a trade from bad to also pretty bad. Green never looked good in Bremen and I don’t see how it will now. Yellow was a disaster, obviously, and he should stay away from orange and red uniforms. The blue teams in the Bundesliga don’t have much to offer soccer-wise, but I think for Josh to feel and play his best he should consider one. Maybe Hoffenheim.
DaveP.
Hoffenheim are Blue/white. Josh’s hair color will stand out better.
But Bundesliga uniforms in general are awful. They look like 1980’s junior college soccer strips.
Serie A or the EPL in terms of fashion.
he was doing well at norwich and it feels a bit like the US’ fanboys constant obsession with moving upwards — even when your own history suggests you found your level. if he’s gonna move he should go someplace like holland, leeds, or a different c’ship team. maybe someone ambitious like b’ham or wrexham.
his first division stats are fairly consistent and tepid. i could see a sort of “pepi” irony in taking his turn as the lightly productive B.1 striker shoved aside by the players in better situations for them. why do this the year before the world cup? do a short extension then take the risks after 26.
Depends on the role the new club sees him in. Most players improve between age 22 and 25. Add in that he was played out of position for most of his time in EPL and Bundesliga. You are looking at what’s safest for his chance to make the NT. Which is not really how athletes at that level think. Josh might want to take that challenge at playing at the highest level to prove he can be a top league striker and the NT will fall into place when he succeeds. Players at that level don’t have the mentality that they’re going to fail so I’ll take the safe route. If he wants to be safe he can come to St Louis.
Johnnyrazor,
Sargent was not played out of position during his time with Weder Bremen in the Bundesliga. That is factually incorrect. He played as a striker for them.
Also, how do you know “what athletes at that level think?” Do you know Sargent personally?…or have you played in the Bundesliga or Championship?
JR, PG,
“Sargent was not played out of position during his time with Weder Bremen in the Bundesliga. That is factually incorrect. He played as a striker for them.”
That’s what it said on paper.
Just because you are listed as a striker it doesn’t mean that you actually get to play striker, especially on an awful team like Josh’s Werder Bremen. If you saw Bremen actually play, Josh was often pushed out to the wing and was often asked to drop back. I used to think of him a defensive center forward, sort of like a defensive center in hockey. At least Josh did got a chance to work on his all around game.
Then when he got to Norwich in 2021 he had to wait until Pukki moved to Minnesota.
Once he inherited Pukki’s #9 role that’s when he started coming into his own. Josh was 22 when hit 13 goals for Norwich and has been in double figures ever since. Clint was 23-24 when he moved to Fulham. So Josh still has time to get better. Better late than never.
It may be that the Championship is his level but there is reason to suspect he could do even better.
“how do you know “what athletes at that level think?” Do you know Sargent personally?…or have you played in the Bundesliga or Championship?”
You can learn a lot about Josh by observing his actions.
Josh signed for WB at 18 years old, moving to Germany as a teenager. As far as I know he did not speak German. He had no family or friends in Bremen. It is trendy these days to think our Euros are softy spoiled brats but tell me, have you ever worked abroad where you did not speak the language and were not really familiar with the culture?
I have.
And while it was nowhere near the level of intensity or difficulty that Josh had to deal with I found it it extremely difficult. I can’t imagine what it was like for a solo 18 year old.
As far as I’m concerned the fact Josh is still employed and succeeding at the level he has tells me he has huge balls and is very ambitious. He has to be to get as far as he already has.
He did not get there by playing it safe as IV suggests he should.
He was what- 20 in his first season in England where he was played out of position with a horrible, horrible outgunned side that defended 90% of the match. On top of it, freaking Rashika and Puki literally ignored his runs, refused to deliver the ball to him. In spite of it, he did what was asked- ran his ass off defended. Can’t say that sample is conclusive about level for an entire career. Josh absolutely needs to get/stay healthy, 100% needs to nut up with the national team. That said- he’s progressed considerably- when healthy he’s in discussion as the best championship striker. A mid league striker has likely found his level, top in the league might want to test another level.
Is Paredes on defense any better than Max?
tanget – Canada’s Jonathan David to Juve?
I saw that. It’s interesting…and very, very good. For Canada. Having that top-tier #9, as we know all too well, is massive.
I think David is getting into that tier. My guess is, he’ll will do just fine with Juve. This isn’t a case like Santiago Gimenez where a poacher on an OP’d-for-the-level squad like Feyenoord that played tomato cans every week and got served up balls on a platter then breaks scoreboards in the Netherlands…and discovers, hey, you need to be a far more complete player than that to make it on an elite team in Italy.
David’s legit. Much as it pains me to admit, especially since we should have had him.
Sargent and Paredes combining would be cool.
Is Paredes on defense any better than Max?
I don’t see Paredes as a defender. Looks much better as a winger.
I ask because everyone says Max can’t play defense.
If Kevin can’t play defense either then what are you gaining by playing Kevin instead of Max?
Because neither one can defend worth a fuck. And from what I see Max seems to at least be able to get on the pitch.
I think we can all agree he is ready to move up to the next level. A mid-level Bundesliga team like Wolfsburg is in all likelihood a good fit. A small market team like Norwich City does not have the resources to compete effectively in the EPL, if they ever make it to the top flight.
Didn’t he play there before or was that Werder Brewman he use to play for?
Werder Bremen.
Thanks! Thought it was one of the lol 😅