Football General Manager
- Hislop believes Sargent needs to become more clinical
- Baffled by striker’s limited USMNT appearances
- Gomez says relegation likely humbled Sargent
Shaka Hislop addressed Josh Sargent’s potential transfer to Wolfsburg, questioning whether the American possesses the clinical finishing required at Bundesliga level. The former Premier League goalkeeper said that a possible return to Germany represents a step up that will demand greater efficiency.
“It’s a different ask for Sargent at Wolfsburg,” Hislop said on the Futbol Americas podcast. “First of all Wolfsburg, mid-table in the Bundesliga, looking for that out-and-out striker. I still wonder if he’s a clinical enough finisher because, while we’re talking about numbers for Norwich City, they are good numbers without being great numbers, largely, in the Championship.
“Now he’s a step up into the Bundesliga, a league that he knows well – and yeah, granted he left four years ago. He was 21 years old. That’s a big ask for somebody that young to make any kind of a significant impact and now he’s more experienced. He knows his game better… Josh Sargent though, to be a success at Wolfsburg, I think has got to be a more clinical finisher than we’ve seen at Norwich. He does that. I think he has an impact.”
Herculez Gomez suggested it would be a “a great move going back to the Bundesliga” for the American forward.
“Josh Sargent’s player development was club soccer in the United States And after a U17 World Cup, jumped to the Bundesliga and had that type of awakening,” Gomez said. “And from there, he was purchased to the Premier League. And he did not do well in the Premier League, but in not doing well in the Premier League, he found time to be humbled in the correct way.
“Not that he was arrogant or anything, but it’ll humble you when you get relegated. Did the right things going forward to be the man in Norwich. In the last few seasons, he’s been one of their best players if not their best, clearly, their best goalscorer… while he could be more clinical at times, he’s added so much to that arsenal.”
However, the former national team player questioned why Sargent has struggled for the USMNT.
“For whatever reason, when the national team comes calling, he doesn’t make trip, he’s injured, you get sick, whatever the case may be,” he said. “He needs something if he wants a repeat of being the starting forward like he was in Qatar, if he wants another chance at a World Cup, to be a prominent player. I see the tools there and I see an open field. If you think of the nine position, there is nobody right now that has their hand raised that says ‘I’m healthy. I’m scoring goals, this position’s mine and it’s going to stay mine’.
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Josh Sargent currently plays for Norwich City but is reportedly set to sign for Wolfsburg for a fee of €21 million – although the two parties are still, reportedly, in negotiations.
Sargent was not included on the USMNT’s Gold Cup roster, something coach Mauricio Pochettino called a “football decision.” He will be hoping to be in contention for a spot on the 2026 World Cup roster.
