Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly on the brink of selling 22-year-old attacker Troy Parrott to Eredivisie side AZ Alkmaar in a deal worth £6.7m.
The Republic of Ireland international has spent seven years in the Lilywhites ranks since leaving Belvedere FC in 2017, and he quickly made a name for himself in Tottenham's youth ranks.
During the 2018-19 season, Parrott amassed a terrific 14 goals in just nine Under-18 Premier League matches, form which helped him break into the first team under Mauricio Pochettino.
Parrott made his debut for the Lilywhites in an EFL Cup loss to Colchester United in September 2019, before also making two Premier League appearances and earning his FA Cup final baptism later that season.
However, Parrott subsequently fell out of favour under Jose Mourinho and did not earn the trust of Antonio Conte either, which saw him loaned out to Millwall, Ipswich Town, MK Dons and Preston North End.
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Parrott 'arrives in Netherlands' for AZ medical
Following a few spells away from North London with lower-league English sides, the 22-year-old tried his hand at Eredivisie football with Excelsior Rotterdam last season and quickly adapted to the demands of Dutch football.
Parrott ended the 2023-24 season with 17 goals and five assists from 32 matches, but his Spurs contract expires in 2025, and his exploits in the Netherlands have not been enough to convince Ange Postecoglou that he deserves a chance in the Tottenham setup.
According to football.london, the Irish attacker is now on the verge of a permanent move back to the Netherlands with AZ Alkmaar, who have agreed to pay €8m (£6.7m) for his services.
Championship teams and clubs in Italy were also understood to have taken a liking to Parrott, who was hopeful of one day making the grade at Tottenham, potentially as a long-term successor to Harry Kane.
However, the 22-year-old has experienced a rough time with injuries over the past couple of years, which prevented him from making an impression under Postecoglou last summer, and he leaves with just four senior appearances to his name.
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Should Parrott's exit go through imminently, he should become the seventh player to leave Tottenham this summer, following Tanguy Ndombele, Japhet Tanganga, Eric Dier, Ivan Perisic, Ryan Sessegnon and Joe Rodon out of the door.
Only Rodon has brought in any money, though, as the Lilywhites sold the Welshman to Leeds United for approximately £10m at the same time they poached Archie Gray from the Championship side.
How is Tottenham's striker situation shaping up?
With Parrott heading for the exit door, Tottenham boss Postecoglou is left with Alejo Veliz and Richarlison as his two recognised central options, as well as the versatile Son Heung-min.
The futures of all three are not entirely set in stone, though, as Son is now in the final 12 months of his deal - which does include an option for an additional year - while Richarlison could be sold if a suitable bid comes in.
Meanwhile, Veliz might be sent out on loan again following a failed spell at Sevilla in the second half of last season, so Tottenham are expected to pursue a new name up top for 2024-25.
Ben Knapton
