adminHow much money West Ham may have to pay Haji Wright or Josh Sargent in wages as Coventry, Norwich stars eyed
West Ham United have made a miserable start to the Premier League campaign and are already eyeing the January transfer window as an opportunity to reshape their squad in a bid to boost their survival prospects.
With that in mind, two United States internationals currently starring in the Championship have emerged as potential targets for the Hammers: Coventry City striker Haji Wright and Norwich City forward Josh Sargent.
The speculation comes at a time when Coventry and Norwich have experienced very different starts to the season in the second tier. Coventry have been one of the standout sides in the division, sitting top of the Championship under former West Ham midfielder Frank Lampard. The Sky Blues have won 14 of their first 21 matches and have been prolific in front of goal, racking up 52 strikes so far.
Norwich, on the other hand, have endured a more difficult campaign. Since Philippe Clement replaced Liam Manning last month, there have been signs of improvement, highlighted by consecutive home wins over QPR and Southampton — something the Canaries had not achieved since January. Even so, they remain three points from safety with 21 games still to play.
Despite the contrasting fortunes of their clubs, Wright and Sargent continue to attract interest from teams higher up the pyramid.
There is even the possibility that Coventry could finish above West Ham next season for the first time since 1993, with the Hammers themselves only three points clear of danger following Sunday’s 3-2 defeat to Aston Villa.
Even so, the financial gap between a Premier League side and Championship clubs remains significant. With that in mind, attention has turned to what West Ham might need to pay in wages if either Wright or Sargent were to make the move to east London.
What West Ham could pay for Wright or Sargent
Wright has scored eight league goals this season for Coventry and has netted 36 times in the Championship since joining the club in a record £7.7m move from Antalyaspor in July 2023.
The 27-year-old has been linked with several clubs in recent months, although reports previously suggested he was content to stay at the CBS Arena despite interest from Leeds United.
More recently, West Ham have been credited with interest in Wright, as well as his Coventry teammate Ellis Simms. It is believed the Sky Blues would demand a fee in the region of £15m to £20m for the 20-cap US international.
According to estimates from Capology, Wright currently earns around £25,000 per week at Coventry. While he is the club’s record signing, he is not their highest-paid player, instead sharing that bracket with Luke Woolfenden, captain Matt Grimes and Simms.
Sargent, meanwhile, has also been the subject of strong transfer interest. Norwich rejected a €19m bid from Wolfsburg in the summer, denying the striker a return to the Bundesliga.
Leeds United have also been linked, which would see Sargent reunite with former Canaries boss Daniel Farke, though the forward has repeatedly stated his commitment to Norwich, where he is under contract until 2028.
Despite that, West Ham are said to be monitoring the striker, who has scored 50 Championship goals in 118 appearances despite suffering several injury setbacks. Norwich are believed to value the 24-year-old at around £15m.
Like Wright, Sargent is estimated to earn roughly £25,000 per week, placing him below Norwich’s top earner, Shane Duffy — a situation that has surprised some supporters given the criticism aimed at the defender this season.
Wage increase likely if West Ham make a move
Given the clear financial advantage Premier League clubs hold, both Wright and Sargent would likely command a significant pay rise if they were to join West Ham.
Their current salaries are well below those of many first-team players at the London Stadium. Callum Wilson, who arrived on a free transfer in the summer, is estimated to earn £50,000 per week, while Niclas Füllkrug — despite injury issues and a lack of goals — is reportedly on around £90,000 per week.Wright is yet to make a Premier League appearance, while Sargent would be hoping for a far more productive spell in the top flight if a move materialised, having scored just two goals in 26 Premier League matches during his previous stint with Norwich following his £8m move from Werder Bremen.
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