The Belgian stayed tight-lipped after first revealing Sargent had indicated he did not want to be considered for the FA Cup third round win over Walsall in early January, amid ‘transfer distrations’.
But following Friday’s official confirmation of his protracted exit, in a move that could top £20m for the Canaries, Clement offered the inside track on a long-running episode.
“I think the club gets get a good price for a good striker. So of course, as a manager, you want to keep all your best players, but if there’s the right amount of money for players, we know also that we’re not in a situation to stop that, and that’s the case now,” said the City chief.
“So I wish him all the best. I really liked him as a player when we were working together, there’s not been issues afterwards, also when he was training with the under-21s so I wish him all the best for his future.
“I don’t think he made the right decisions with not to play in that moment, but you will learn out of that. And I wish him all the best, and I hope he’s really successful in MLS. It would be good for also our club, to show that there are really good players coming out of here.
“(Do you hope the manner of the ending does not overshadow what he did in a Norwich City shirt?) I always hope that, like all the players are like my children, it feels like that. I had also moments in my life that were periods that with the children you bump and you have fights and you have arguments.
“I never had a fight. We had arguments with Josh, but never a fight. So that happens, and, okay, it’s been a short period. I wish everybody the best for my ex-players. There’s now an agreement where the three parties are happy with the situation.
“I wish I could have kept him and even more in this situation that we are now (with injuries), but that was not an option anymore in these circumstances, and when the three parties are happy with the result we need to move on, and and to be happy for for everybody.”