Josh Sargent seems set to return to the Norwich squad for the weekend according to head coach Dean Smith, needing only to avoid any further setbacks in their final training session before Aston Villa.
The 22 year-old attacker has been out of the team since mid-March due to an unexpectedly bad ankle injury suffered in training, but has finally returned to training according to Smith.
“Josh Sargent is training today,” Smith confirmed in his Friday-morning press conference, adding “if he gets through today he will be in the squad.”
While they have close to zero chance to maintain their Premier League status, the Canaries can be mathematically assured of relegation by Saturday afternoon in the realistic case that they lose at Villa and Burnley beats Watford in the same time-slot.
While these final five games have little little bearing on the team’s future, Sargent will need to have a strong finish in order to work his way back into any contention for a USMNT call-up by Gregg Berhalter for the upcoming spate of national team games coming in June.
He has not been called in by Berhalter since the trio of World Cup qualifiers in September, 2021, however a good showing in Norwich’s final death march could give him a chance should the coach opt for an expanded roster for the two friendlies and subsequent pair of CONCACAF Nations League group-stage contests.
