According to reports that started circulating on the internet last night and also in the Sun newspaper over the weekend, West Ham manager Nuno Espirito Santo has held transfer talks with club chairman David Sullivan, with the reports suggesting American international Josh Sargent fits the bill for what they the West London club are looking for next month.

The club’s preference is understood to be for a centre forward with a strong physical presence and a player with experience of English football, whether that be at either Premier League or Championship level.

Norwich's Josh Sargent, 25, is valued at around £17.5 million by the club, and the club are aware that West Ham have been keeping tabs on their player. The Hammers are believed to be looking to take their interest forward with a bid in the new year.

Despite a recent upturn in results, the struggling team remain stuck in the bottom three of the Premier League and currently sit two points adrift of safety. Sargent is currently out with a concussion injury sustained in Norwich's match away at Sheffield United on Tuesday night, and is one of a number of players reported to under consideration as West Ham plot their moves for the impending transfer window.

A centre forward is top priority with veteran Callum Wilson leading the line at 34 years old. Fellow striker Niclas Fullkrug wants out of West Ham and his agent went public in saying so last month.

Norwich City's Belgian head coach Philippe Clement has provided an injury update ahead of this weekends match against Southampton on Saturday

Clement confirmed in his pre-match press conference today at Colney that Josh Sargent will unfortunately be unavailable and miss out this weekend as he follows a concussion protocol following his first half exit at Sheffield United on Tuesday.

The American had a rough day or two in the immediate aftermath and will now have to observe clear guidelines before he is available for duty.

Captain Kenny McLean is also seen as a doubt for the Saints' visit after a 'blocked hip' saw him withdrawn as a precuation half time in the game against Sheffield United at Bramall Lane.

Summer signing Mathias Kvistgaarden, who was not involved at Sheffield United, is being monitored on a daily basis with head coach Clement indicating that he had trained in the past 24 hours, having had a further assessment that included a visit to see a knee specialist about his issues.

The Canaries Head Coach also went on to confirm that Jose Cordoba and Liam Gibbs are available for selection for the game on Saturday.

Central defender Harry Darling is back from his one match suspension and also available for selection, as the list of unavailable players gets slightly shorter for Norwich.

Lucien Mahovo was reported to have trained for the first time on Friday after a lengthy lay-off with a quad injury. However the young left back is not ready for this weekend. Jack Stacey is also back in training but the experienced right back is rated to be 'touch and go' for Southampton by Clement.

Youngsters Elliot Myles and Manny Adegboyega are both in training. Centre back Adegboyega did a running session pre-match at Sheffield but Clement revealed he is also training with the club's development squad with a number of senior centre backs ahead of him in the queue.

Gabe Forsyth, Jeffrey Schlupp and Papa Amadou Diallo are not in contention for the upcoming game, but Shane Duffy and Ben Chrisene did return at Bramall Lane.

Anis Ben Slimane also played his first minutes since a League Cup defeat to Southampton on August 26, after a quad injury.

According to reports circulating on the internet, West Ham manager Nuno Espirito Santo has held transfer talks with club chairman David Sullivan, with the reports suggesting American international Josh Sargent fits the bill for what they the West London club are looking for next month.

The club’s preference is understood to be for a centre forward with a strong physical presence and a player with experience of English football, whether that be at either Premier League or Championship level.

Norwich's Josh Sargent, 25, is valued at around £17.5 million by the club, and the club are aware that West Ham have been keeping tabs on their player. The Hammers are believed to be looking to take their interest forward with a bid in the new year.

Despite a recent upturn in results, the struggling team remain stuck in the bottom three of the Premier League and currently sit two points adrift of safety. Sargent is currently out with a concussion injury sustained in Norwich's match away at Sheffield United on Tuesday night, and is one of a number of players reported to under consideration as West Ham plot their moves for the impending transfer window.

A centre forward is top priority with veteran Callum Wilson leading the line at 34 years old. Fellow striker Niclas Fullkrug wants out of West Ham and his agent went public in saying so last month.

The thing no fan wanted in the draw at Bramall Lane was the sight of Club Captain Kenny McClean and USA International Striker Josh Sargent both being withdrawn with Injuries.  This came on top of £6.9m summer signing Mathias Kvistgaarden withdrawing from the matchday squad with a recurrence of his kneww injury

"Sarge got a knock, we need to assess how it is with him. With Kenny, his hip locked in the first half, you saw it with the way he was running, it was not his normal style," Canaries Head Coaxch Clement told reporters.

"We took him off at half-time to prevent that he got a bigger injury and we will see over the next few days if they will be ready for Saturday.

On the subject of Mathias Kvistgaarden's injury  "He had rehab, he started training and playing again, he felt good, but this week he felt his knee again in the same place so we need to make an assessment with the knee specialist so we know what's the best action to take," Clement explained.

Shane Duffy is hoped to be back in action in time for Norwich's clash with Sheffield United at Bramall Lane on Tuesday this week.

With Harry Darling suspended after picking up his fifth yellow card in the heartbreaking 3-2 defeat to Watford in the Championship and Jose Cordoba still recovering from injury, the Canaries are starting to look short of defensive options for the game.

"Shane had a slight muscle strain earlier in the week which kept him out of the more challenging training," explained Norwich Head Coach Philippe Clement. "He has been back in training over the last few days but after discussions with the medical team we have decided that it is best to keep him on the bench, especially given his history of calf injuries. He trained on Saturday and I am confident he will be ready for Tuesday."

Former Norwich City goalkeeper Declan Rudd has been promoted to be their first-team goalkeeping coach, the club have confirmed have confirmed this morning.

Norwich old boy Declan Rudd replaces the outgoing head of goalkeeping Tony Roberts.  Roberts is expected to depart later this week, going on to join another club, having tendered his resignation after receiving a preferable offer from elsewhere.

Roberts joined the club originally in September 2024, replacing his predecessor Paul Clements after he followed Narcis Pelach to Stoke. He was appointed to the role by sporting director Ben Knapper, who had worked with him previously during their time together at Arsenal. 

The highly-rated former Wolves and AC Milan coach was then kept on despite the sackings of previous head coach Johannes Hoff Thorup and his assistant Glen Riddersholm, going on to then work under under Liam Manning in his short-lived stint at the helm as well as interim manager Jack Wilshire. 

Declan Rudd came through the ranks at Norwich having joined the club's academy from local side Bressingham.  He went on to make his senior debut for the Canaries in September 2009, over his stay with the club he made a total of 34 appearances including playing in the Premier League for the Canaries before joining Preston North End.

He had previously joined up with the first team squad on a temporary basis, but will now assume the role on a permenant basis and work with Vladan Kovacevic, Daniel Grimshaw and Louie Moulden.

Speaking about the change in a statement, sporting director Ben Knapper said: Sporting director Ben Knapper said: "Tony has brought infectious energy and personality to the training centre during his time with us. I know how highly he is valued by our goalkeepers and that they have been very appreciative of his work.

"He leaves with all of our very best wishes in the next step of his career.

"In promoting Declan to the first team, we have someone who knows the club and how we operate. He already has some excellent relationships with our current staff and players and absolutely deserves this opportunity - he is ready to make this step up and everyone within the first team is looking forward to working closely with him moving forwards." 

In the post match press conference yesterday, following the team's 3-1 win at hopme at Carrow Road against QPR, head coach Philippe Clement presented a positive update on both Jack Stacey's injury, and that of other players who have been absent recently

“We have to wait and see with Jack, whether it was a contact or not, or how bad it is. Let's hope, touch wood, for good news. We lost already Mirko and we don't lose another player. I'm always from the half full glass, you know. I will wait the next few days for what the assessment will be. 

Jovon Makama was also absent against QPR after sickness in the hours ahead of kick-off.

“Jovon was planned to start. He became sick, at the (team) meeting he got fever, so he had to go out of the squad,” said Clement, who also hinted after the win some of the longer term absentees might be in position to re-join training ahead of the trip to Watford.

OTBC

Well, it was long overdue, but credit to the new Norwich City Head Coach Philippe Clement the feel good factor is back.  

In recent weeks the Norwich fans have been staying after the game, not to celebrate a win, but to make noisy protests against the running of the club.  Yesterday was a different matter however.

After an encouraging performance in mid week against Oxford United which showed the first green shoots of the new era, Norwich City yesterday produced a display to celebrate. Attacking football is back at Carrow Road and giving the fans something to shout about. 

Yesterday's 3-1 victory at home to QPR could easily have been 4-1 if it were not for a tight call on offside to rule out a Josh Sargent goal.  And having given the fans something to cheer about, the team were rewarded with a fantastic atmosphere.

The energy and noise post game as thousands of fans stayed behind to celebrate with the players was something to savour. It was also picked up on by new Canaries head coach Philippe Clement in his post match interview "It's not about me, that's no so important, and I knew that if we worked hard this moment would come," he told BBC Radio Norfolk.

"It's more important for the players, for the club and for the fans also. "What you saw during the game and after the game was the synergy is totally back, it was lost a few weeks ago."

"So it's back now and they see a team fighting, but also a team creating, playing good football and of course we can still improve a lot of things"

"But the mentality of the players is positive to get three deserved points."

The positive energy then continued long after the match, with one caller on BBC Radio Norfolk's Canary Call declaring that whilst it may only be three games, the new head coach should already be given the freedom of the city

Here's to the future and hopefully many more performances and atmospheres to match at Carrow Road as we start to claw our way back up the table OTBC