Troy Parrott: The Summer's Coveted Striker
Troy Parrott was supposed to be AZ’s project for the long term. Instead, he’s turning into one of this summer’s most quietly coveted strikers.
According to journalist Ben Jacobs, at least five clubs have registered serious interest in the Irish forward, who is under contract in Alkmaar until 2029. For a player who only settled at AZ relatively recently, the queue forming for his signature is growing fast.
Fulham circle again, but move on a different striker
Fulham are the first concrete name on the list. They looked at Parrott toward the end of last season, weighing up a move, but never pushed the button. This summer, they have already brought in Gonzalo García from Real Madrid under Álvaro Arbeloa, a signing that slightly complicates any immediate swoop for Parrott.
The London club’s interest hasn’t disappeared, but their forward line is evolving in other ways. If they come back for Parrott, it will be with a clearer plan and a busier market around them.
Como, Betis, Ajax, PSV – a growing pack
Como and Real Betis are also tracking the AZ striker, watching and waiting. They are not alone.
Jacobs reports that Ajax and PSV have both made enquiries with AZ in recent weeks, testing the water around a player whose value has been creeping upwards. That Ajax are on the list is the eye-catching part.
On paper, the Amsterdam side look full. Marcos Leonardo has arrived from Al-Hilal for around twenty million euros, while Tolu Arokodare has joined on loan from Wolverhampton Wanderers. Add Kasper Dolberg and Don-Angelo Konadu to the mix and Ajax are suddenly staring at a four-strong centre-forward department.
So why Parrott? Either Ajax are planning for exits, or they see the Irishman as a profile they simply don’t want to miss if the numbers line up. For a club trying to rebuild smartly, stockpiling the right kind of attacking talent is rarely accidental.
At PSV, the logic is far clearer. Alassane Pléa is still some distance from the level he showed before his injury, and there is no guarantee he will hit those heights quickly. Ricardo Pepi, meanwhile, could yet leave before the window shuts. That uncertainty opens a lane for a striker like Parrott: mobile, hard-working, and still with room to grow.
AZ hold the cards – and already have a successor
What AZ will demand is the great unknown. Last winter, the figure being mentioned was around thirty million euros. That number may have shifted, but it sets the tone: Parrott will not be a bargain pick-up.
AZ, though, have done their homework. They have already lined up the next man in the middle.
Mexx Meerdink is expected to step in as first-choice striker under new coach Leeroy Echteld. The club see him as ready for the responsibility, not just a stopgap if Parrott leaves. Behind him, Jizz Hornkamp offers reliable depth, giving AZ enough cover to negotiate from a position of strength.
So Parrott’s future now sits at the intersection of ambition and valuation. AZ can afford to wait. The chasing clubs, sensing an opportunity in a market short of attainable No 9s, may not be so patient.
Who blinks first?
