Troy Parrott: The €30m Striker Lighting Up Europe
Troy Parrott has gone from clever Eredivisie pick-up to one of the most talked-about strikers on the market. The interest is no longer a murmur. It’s a queue.
Ben Jacobs, usually a reliable barometer in these situations, reports that at least five clubs are now actively circling the AZ forward. Not all of them are obvious fits. That only adds to the intrigue.
Fulham hover, but don’t pull the trigger
Fulham are the first concrete name on the list. They explored a move late last season, sounded out the conditions, then stepped back. Since then, Álvaro Arbeloa’s side have moved for Gonzalo García from Real Madrid, filling one attacking need and complicating another.
Do they still want Parrott? The interest hasn’t disappeared, but there’s been no meaningful follow-up. For now, Fulham sit in that dangerous middle ground: admiring from a distance while others move closer.
Como, Real Betis and the rising market
Como and Real Betis are also tracking the Irishman. Both see an opportunity: a 22-year-old forward (with a long contract) who has already shown he can carry the goalscoring load in Alkmaar.
These are the clubs that often act before the traditional giants do, gambling on upside before the price explodes. Whether they can stretch to AZ’s demands is another matter.
Ajax join the chase – against all logic
Ajax’s presence in this story is the most surprising twist. On paper, they should be done shopping for strikers.
Marcos Leonardo has just arrived from Al-Hilal for around twenty million euros. Tolu Arokodare has come in on loan from Wolverhampton Wanderers. Add Kasper Dolberg and Don-Angelo Konadu, and Ajax already have four centre-forwards on the books.
Yet Jacobs reports they have still made enquiries about Parrott. That points to one of two things: either Ajax are bracing for departures in the attacking line, or they see Parrott as too good a profile to ignore, even in a crowded department. Either way, it underlines how sharply his stock has risen.
PSV’s need is clearer
PSV’s interest, by contrast, makes immediate sense.
Alassane Pléa remains some distance from the level he reached before his injury, still searching for rhythm and sharpness. Ricardo Pepi’s future is uncertain, with the door open for a move away this summer.
In that context, Parrott looks less like a luxury and more like a potential solution. A forward who can step straight into a high-pressure title-chasing environment is exactly what PSV have been scanning the market for.
AZ hold the cards – and a replacement
The big unknown is the fee. AZ’s current asking price has not been made public, but last winter the figure hovered around thirty million euros. With Parrott under contract in Alkmaar until mid-2029, AZ are under no pressure to sell cheaply. Any deal will be on their terms.
Crucially, they have already prepared for life after him.
Mexx Meerdink is set to start the new season as Leeroy Echteld’s first-choice striker, a promotion that has been in the works for some time. Jizz Hornkamp offers solid back-up, giving AZ enough internal cover to cash in if the right offer lands on the table.
So the situation is clear. AZ are ready. The market is heating up. The only real question now is which club decides Parrott is worth pushing all their chips in for.
