Toronto FC sign USMNT's Sargent in reported club-record $27M deal

Toronto FC signed American striker Josh Sargent on Friday after a drawn-out transfer saga with Norwich City.

The cost of the deal is approximately $22 million and could climb to $27 million with add-ons, sources told Tom Bogert of The Athletic. Sargent joins as a Designated Player on a contract until 2031.

The reported fee makes Sargent the most expensive recruit in Toronto's history. The previous club-record arrival was attacking midfielder Alejandro Pozuelo, who joined for just under $11 million USD (€9.1 million) from Genk in 2019, according to Transfermarkt. South Korea star Son Heung-min currently holds the league record from when he switched Tottenham Hotspur for Los Angeles FC last August for a reported $26.5-million fee, meaning the amount of Sargent's transfer could eventually surpass that sum.

Sargent moved to Norwich in August 2021 ahead of the club's return to the Premier League. The forward scored four times in 29 appearances across all competitions that season, but the club was relegated back to the Championship following a last-place finish.

Over four seasons in England's second tier, Sargent's netted 51 goals with 12 assists across 121 Championship matches. However, the 26-year-old missed Norwich's last 10 matches after asking to be left out of an FA Cup third-round visit from Walsall amid Toronto's reported interest. He was subsequently banished to train with the club's under-21 squad while the club dug in its heels over a transfer. Eventually, the Canaries approved the $27-million overall package offered by the MLS franchise.

"I get the fans' frustration completely," Norwich captain Kenny McLean told BBC Radio Norfolk last Saturday about Sargent's situation with the club. "A couple of months ago, we were talking about having the best player in the Championship."

Norwich City have risen from 22nd to 17th place in the Championship since Sargent was frozen out. Former Toronto FC player Ali Ahmed has been among the key figures behind Norwich's upturn in fortunes.

As part of Sargent's move to Toronto FC, his new club has sent $500,000 in general allocation money to St. Louis City SC, who owned the right of first refusal for Sargent. St. Louis could receive another $225,000 in GAM depending on add-ons.

Sargent has scored five times in 29 appearances for the United States men's national team, but he's never played in the country's top domestic league. The Missouri native joined Germany's Werder Bremen as a youth player in January 2018 before making his first senior appearance in December of that year. He was relegated with Werder Bremen in 2021 after notching 11 goals in 70 Bundesliga appearances.

"He is a proven goalscorer, with a winning mentality and the intelligence that will lead our attack for years to come," Toronto FC general manager Jason Hernandez said in a statement.

Toronto FC were in search of an experienced attacker after cutting ties with Italian duo Federico Bernardeschi and Lorenzo Insigne in July. Robin Fraser's incoming transfers since those high-profile departures include a host of experienced MLS players, such as Djordje Mihailovic and Walker Zimmerman, who have a combined 56 caps for the USMNT; former Sporting Kansas City winger Daniel Salloi; and Raheem Edwards.