Josh Sargent will be a ‘central striker’ for new head coach David Wagner to fire Norwich City’s Championship promotion bid back into life. 

Wagner is adamant the Canaries’ nine-goal top scorer must operate down the middle, after Sargent found himself operating wider for much of Dean Smith’s tenure. 

The US international, who featured in two of his country’s three group games at the World Cup, was given some time off for Wagner’s FA Cup bow, but will be back in training for the trip to Preston. 

“Obviously. I know him very well from Germany. For me, he's a central striker. It isn't his best position to help out on the wing,” said Wagner, who was officially unveiled on Monday at Carrow Road. “This is where he can help out, yes, but this is not the position I think where his strengths are.

"He played last season and this season and did not too bad so far, but he is a young guy and I'm really looking forward to work with him.” 

Sargent moved from Werder Bremen along with Milot Rashica, who is currently on loan at Turkish league leaders Galatasaray. 

Sporting director Stuart Webber confirmed at the same press conference Rashica cannot be recalled this month, but Wagner is keeping tabs on the Kosovan international wide player.  

“Obviously he is on loan in Galatasaray and from everything I hear and what I've seen, they and he are both are very happy with this loan so far,” he said. “And this means we can be happy with this loan as well. Hopefully they can win the title and qualify for the Champions League.

"But this loan counts until the end of the season and this is why he isn't on my radar for this next 20 very important games, hopefully some more as well at the end of this season. This is why we should speak about Milot after the season.” 

Wagner has spelt out to his current squad what is at stake over the rest of the campaign. 

“The key message was that we draw a line under the past and call this a restart or a new start,” he said. “We want to implement something they maybe have not played before. Leave everything, even promotion success you might have had in the past, because you will not get it automatically again, you have to work to fight and to earn the right again.

"This is what I said to them. I told them it will not be easy. But we have a chance. And I said this before in life, whatever you do, you can only ask for a chance. Then it's up to you what you do with this, and we have a chance and we must work for it.

"Everything I could wish for after the first couple of training sessions was there. I came in to an environment where I met a lot of open minded people. I think they were desperate to get a new idea, maybe a new identity on board as well.

"It was very easy for me because there were a lot of familiar faces, which I've seen, and they made it very easy for me to settle in as well. It was a good start so far in the training ground, unfortunately the result (on Sunday) was not what we wanted. But I've seen a lot of good things."