Transfer details revealed 

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Josh Sargent has joined Major League Soccer club Toronto FC from Norwich City. It is a new club record transfer for Toronto FC. The Canadian club will pay $22 million (€18.7m) plus $5m (€4.2m) in add-ons for the US men’s national team striker. Sargent will surpass previous record signings Alejandro Pozuelo, Michael Bradley, and Jermain Defoe as Toronto’s most expensive signing (overview). The 26-year-old has signed a contract through the 2030/31 season. Additionally, Toronto FC acquired St. Louis City SC’s right of first refusal for Sargent in exchange for $500,000 (€425,000) in General Allocation Money (GAM) and up to an additional $225,000 (€190,000) in conditional GAM if certain performance-based metrics are met.

Once Sargent hits his bonuses, he could also become the most expensive signing in MLS history. The current record holder is Heung-Min Son. The Korean superstar joined LAFC from Tottenham Hotspur in a deal worth €22m last summer. Sargent, however, already becomes the most expensive American player in MLS history, surpassing Brandon Vazquez’s transfer from Monterrey to Austin FC in 2025. Once he hits his bonuses, Sargent will also rank among the ten most expensive American players in history (overview).

In other words, it is a massive deal to pull off for Toronto FC. The owners of the club, Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, want to use the momentum of the 2026 World Cup to build momentum for their lingering franchise. Once a powerhouse in MLS, TFC have struggled in recent years and have not made the playoffs since 2019. That is unacceptable for a club owned by one of the world’s biggest sports and entertainment groups operating in one of North America’s preeminent media markets. Indeed, TFC aren’t even the premier club in Canada anymore, having lost that status to the Vancouver Whitecaps.

Record transfer – What can Josh Sargent add to Toronto FC?

“He brings high-level experience in some of the strongest leagues in the world and an international pedigree at just 26 years old. He is a proven goalscorer, with a winning mentality and the intelligence that will lead our attack for years to come,” Toronto FC general manager Jason Hernandez said. “Josh will just begin to enter the prime of his career while representing our club and our city. When we started conversations with Josh and his representation, it was very evident that he isn’t just the right player, but the right person to elevate the culture we have been building. We are excited for him and his family to start this new journey with us in Toronto, and we look forward to everyone supporting him as he steps on the field to fight for our badge.”

The expectations are certainly high in Sargent. With Sargent forcing his way out of Norwich, there is no denying that his time in England ended in disappointment. But while neither Sargent nor Norwich will fondly look back at their time together, there is also no denying that the striker has had a decent record in England. This season, Sargent managed eight goals in 24 games across all competitions. Since joining Norwich, Sargent managed 56 goals and 17 assists in 156 games across all competitions.

Indeed, Sargent has progressed each season since bursting onto the scene in Germany with Werder Bremen in the 2018/19 season. In Germany, Sargent managed 15 goals and nine assists in 83 games across all competitions. Werder , who will receive 10% of the transfer fee, wanted to keep Sargent long-term. The club was forced to sell Sargent after relegation from the top flight during COVID-19 due to financial concerns. The big knock on Sargent at times was his finishing, but that seems to have improved at the Championship level, and it will be interesting to see how those numbers will translate to MLS.