Leeds United are reportedly interested in raiding Daniel Farke’s old side Norwich City for a player and a new report claims he might have to be sold because their parachute payments are ending.
Clubs relegated from the Premier League to the Championship are entitled to three seasons of parachute payments. It sees Leeds now enter that second year of a three-year cycle, the fee reducing every season.
Norwich meanwhile, were relegated in Farke’s last season at Carrow Road in which he was sacked before the turn of the year in November 2021. They got their first parachute payment in the 2021-22 campaign.
But Norwich have remained in the Championship since and this year sees them go without any help from the parachute payment system. It means finances will be tighter than ever at Carrow Road this season.
Leeds are said to be interested in a Norwich player having beaten The Canaries in the play-off semi-finals and the latest report states that Farke’s old men may have to sell the Leeds target, to balance the books.
Norwich may be forced into selling Leeds target to balance books
The player in question is USA striker Josh Sargent, who impressed during 2023-24 with 16 goals despite being injured for much of the campaign and only playing 28 league matches as they finished in sixth.
Chris Sutton says he fears that Sargent will be sold and now the Eastern Daily Press report that Norwich will have to sell a couple of their best players in order to raise some funds without parachute payments.
The report states that Norwich may have to sell two or three of Sargent, Jonathan Rowe, Gabriel Sara and Angus Gunn. Norwich signed Sargent in Farke’s last summer at Carrow Road, costing them a fee of £8m.
What Daniel Farke has said about Norwich ace Sargent in the past
Farke only got to work with the USA ace for three months as he was sacked in November despite beating Brentford in his final match. But even during that short period, the current Leeds manager was impressed.
He is quoted as saying three years ago, that Sargent’s work rate is “unbelievable” after facing Brighton: “His workload is unbelievable both with and against the ball. He is able to keep the ball in the pocket.”
Leeds do have options up top in Joel Piroe, Mateo Joseph and Patrick Bamford and it is arguably the one area of the squad that does not require too much improvement going into the 2024-25 campaign.