Norwich City should raid Cardiff City for perfect Josh Sargent replacement if he leaves | OneFootball

With Josh Sargent looking likely to depart this month, Norwich City should target Cardiff City striker Yousef Salech as his replacement.

It is fair to say that it has been a nightmare season for Norwich City in the Championship so far, and things could be set to get worse for the Norfolk outfit amid rumours about a possible exit for striker Josh Sargent.

Norwich began the season with optimism of mounting a promotion push under Liam Manning after poaching him from Bristol City, but he was sacked in November after a horror tenure at Carrow Road that left the club languishing in the relegation zone.

Philippe Clement was appointed as Manning's replacement, and while he has inspired an upturn in both performances and results, it has not yet been enough to guide the Canaries out of the bottom three, although the gap to safety now stands at just one point.

With the January transfer window now open for business, Norwich have already made one signing, with winger Ali Ahmed joining from Vancouver Whitecaps, and Clement would have been hoping to use this month to further strengthen his squad for the survival battle that lies ahead in the second half of the season.

However, Sargent's future is once again in the headlines, and with the striker's departure looking increasingly likely, Clement's worst January fears could soon be realised.

Philippe Clement drops Josh Sargent, Norwich City transfer bombshell amid Toronto interest

Norwich's improvement under Clement continued with a 5-1 win over League Two side Walsall at Carrow Road in the FA Cup third round on Sunday, but the game was overshadowed by the Belgian's post-match comments.

Clement revealed that Sargent had informed him on the eve of the clash with the Saddlers that he did not wish to be considered for selection due to transfer-related issues, but the Canaries head coach insisted that his star striker will not be leaving this month.

"I want to be short about that. He sent me a message yesterday evening that he was not available to play today because of transfer things that are in his head," Clement told the Pink Un.

"We need to speak about that this week inside the club, but of course it's not something that you want, and it will be something with consequences.

"The club has been really clear about that, we know in which situation we are, so he and his agent know the situation, so he will not leave this transfer window."

Journalist Fabrizio Romano claims that MLS side Toronto FC have made an $18 million (£13.4 million) bid for Sargent, with negotiations underway between the two clubs, and despite Clement's defiant stance, the 25-year-old's refusal to play suggests that he is keen to make the move.

Sargent has hit double figures for goals in each of the past three seasons in the Championship, and he has scored eight goals in 24 appearances in all competitions so far this campaign, meaning he would be incredibly tough to replace if he was to depart, but Norwich could find his perfect replacement at Cardiff City.

It is widely thought that Sargent is one of the best strikers in the Championship, so finding someone of similar quality would be no easy task for Norwich, but Cardiff's Yousef Salech could be the ideal successor to the US international.

Salech joined the Bluebirds from Swedish side IK Sirius last January, and while he was unable to prevent their relegation from the second tier last season, he scored nine goals in 22 appearances in the second half of the campaign, which was a more than respectable total for a side that finished rock bottom of the division.

After his impressive exploits following his winter arrival, it was something of a surprise that a Championship club did not make a move for Salech in the summer, but after remaining in South Wales, his fine form has continued for Cardiff in League One.

Salech has netted 13 goals in 32 appearances for the Bluebirds in all competitions so far this season, and with 12 of those coming in the league, he is currently the joint-highest scorer in the third tier.

It is true to say that Salech is a slightly different profile of striker to Sargent, but he has proven at the Cardiff City Stadium that he is a prolific goalscorer, and while he is a towering presence at 6'5", he offers much more than just aerial strength, as shown by his delightful goal in his side's 1-1 draw at Leyton Orient on Saturday.

However, perhaps the most crucial element for Norwich in their current predicament is that Salech has demonstrated his ability at both Championship and League One level, meaning he could deliver for the club in whichever division they find themselves next season.

Given that Salech still has three-and-a-half years left on his contract, it would take a significant bid to prize him away from Cardiff this month, and the Bluebirds will no doubt be reluctant to sell him in the middle of a promotion push, but if they were to receive a big windfall from the sale of Sargent, the Canaries could make an offer that may be hard to refuse.