West Ham United are plotting a swoop to sign AZ Alkmaar’s prolific centre-forward Troy Parrott, according to Ekrem Konur.
With Niclas Füllkrug expected to depart just 18 months after signing, the club are preparing to enter January in need of another centre-forward.
Should that move happen, Nuno Espirito Santo would be left relying on Callum Wilson and youngster Callum Marshall, which has prompted the club to look for extra firepower — and Parrott has now become one of the options under consideration.
The 23-year-old has enjoyed an excellent international break, putting in two standout displays for the Republic of Ireland. His brace against Portugal was followed by a hat-trick at the Puskás Aréna in Hungary, which secured a World Cup play-off spot for his country, and that run of form has sparked fresh Premier League interest.
According to Konur, West Ham have earmarked Parrott as a potential striker option to replace Fullkrug when he departs the club.
Parrott joined AZ from Tottenham in the summer of 2024 and is under contract with the Eredivisie side until June 2029, with the club keen to retain him unless they receive a substantial offer, having reportedly turned down offers from Leeds United last summer.
Prolific forward
However, it appears the Hammers may not have to break the bank to land the prolific Irish forward, as Konur claims that De Kaasboeren wants a fee in the region of £26m to sanction his departure.
The East Londoners will now need to act swiftly to sign him, as the likes of Everton, Leeds United, and Stuttgart have expressed interest in a move for the 23-year-old, who has netted 18 goals for club and country already this season.
With relegation fears looming, the Hammers should prioritise a move for a more prolific forward in the January transfer window to help salvage their attacking woes, as they’ve netted just 13 goals this season.
With AZ demanding a £26m fee for Parrott, according to Konur, a move for the Irish forward should be a no-brainer, as he would hand Nuno Espirito Santo not just a prolific forward option but one that would be key to his rebuild at the London Stadium, similar to the success stories of Raul Jimenez and Chris Wood during his time at Wolverhampton Wanderers and Nottingham Forest, respectively.
