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Tottenham miss out on transfer after player wrongly says team-mate is 'leaving'

Express.co.uk · Stephen Killen · 2026-08-16T16:45:33+00:00 · nguồn gốc

Tottenham miss out as transfer cancelled after player wrongly says team-mate is 'leaving' Troy Parrott was reportedly set to return to the Premier League with West Ham, but the Hammers have reportedly cooled their interest in the AZ Alkmaar striker Troy Parrott's failed proposed move to West Ham United looks set to hit Tottenham Hotspur's pockets. The Republic of Ireland international was the subject of interest from the Hammers as they eye an immediate return to the Premier League. However, the 24-year-old's return to England looks to have fallen through after failing to reach an agreement with AZ Alkmaar. The Dutch Cup holders were said to have slapped a €30million (£25m) price-tag on his head with West Ham seeing their £15m offer rebuffed. As a result, the west London club have reportedly walked away from the negotiations and a move for Leeds United's Joel Piroe is at an 'advanced stage'. When Spurs offloaded the striker to Holland in 2024, a 20 per cent sell-on clause was rumoured to have been inserted into the £6.7m deal to Alkmaar. If West Ham were to satisfy the £25m asking price, it would net the north London outfit approximately £m. However, Voetbal International have reported that the deal has broken down, prompting the Championship outfit to pursue Leeds' Piroe. Piroe's switch to west London is understood to be nearing completion, which affects Parrott's potential return to England. The 24 year old has netted 51 goals in 97 outings for Alkmaar, attracting attention from FC Porto and RB Leipzig. PSV Eindhoven were also understood to have made enquiries about the forward but were deterred by the price tag. The collapsed transfer emerges days after Parrott's AZ colleague, Mexx Meerdink, voiced his disappointment at the prospect of his striking partner departing the club. Parrott had been absent from the match with a suspected minor injury, but Meerdink's slip of the tongue hinted at an imminent departure. He said: "It is a shame that he is leaving us, but for me it is a great opportunity to prove myself. He deserves a good move. Hopefully he can make a good move. And then it will be my time. Am I getting a big head? No way, I'll just stay true to myself." AZ have got off to a flying start in the Eredivisie campaign, claiming maximum points from their first two fixtures, with their 4-1 victory at Utrecht taking them to the summit of the division. Parrott was absent altogether for Saturday's convincing triumph, having featured as a second-half substitute in their opening fixture against Ado Den Haag. Head coach Leeroy Echteld acknowledged that Parrott was eager to take the next step in his career following an outstanding season in Alkmaar, netting 31 goals in 48 appearances. "We all know that he wants to make a transfer," he said following their Dutch Super Cup victory at the start of August. "I don't think we will keep him in the end. But if he stays, we are going to use him."