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By Kris Gonzo | Senior West Ham Columnist (Follow on X) West Ham’s links with AZ Alkmaar striker Troy Parrott appear to be growing by the hour and, having taken a closer look at the 24-year-old former Tottenham Hotspur forward, it’s not difficult to see why Nuno Espírito Santo might be interested. 1. He improves the system rather than changing it The first thing that jumps off the page is that Parrott appears to offer many of the qualities Pablo brought to the side, only with a little more pace and a much greater goal threat. Last season, Pablo undoubtedly improved West Ham’s ability to press from the front. He worked tirelessly, disrupted opposition build-up and gave Nuno’s side a focal point out of possession. The problem, of course, was that the goals never arrived and, if we’re honest, he hasn’t looked much better in pre-season. In fact, he’s looked worse. Parrott looks capable of giving West Ham the best of both worlds. He scored 16 Eredivisie goals, added six assists and still does the hard graft without the ball. He’s the type of striker who doesn’t simply wait for chances to arrive but helps create them by pressing defenders, forcing mistakes and winning possession high up the pitch. That should be music to Nuno’s ears because it means he wouldn’t need to abandon the system he’s spent the last few months trying to build. Instead, he’d simply be upgrading one of the key positions within it. 2. His numbers suggest the goals are sustainable Another encouraging sign is that Parrott isn’t reliant on moments of brilliance. He consistently gets himself into dangerous positions inside the penalty area and takes a healthy number of shots, suggesting his goals are built on intelligent movement just as much as natural finishing ability. That is exactly the type of profile West Ham have lacked for much of the past season when Calum Wilson didn’t play. 3. He looks made for Championship football There’s obviously no such thing as a guaranteed signing. However, if West Ham are looking for a striker who can lead the press, occupy defenders and still provide the goals that were missing last season, Troy Parrott certainly appears to tick plenty of boxes. If Nuno can land him for around the reported £20 million, I think West Ham will be signing a player who fits the manager’s philosophy far better than simply chasing the biggest name available.