Everton have been backed to make a move for AZ's Republic of Ireland striker Troy Parrott by former Blues winger Kevin Kilbane
Everton have been backed to make a move for AZ's Republic of Ireland striker Troy Parrott
Everton have been backed to make a move for AZ's Republic of Ireland striker Troy Parrott
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Republic of Ireland hero Troy Parrott would bring proven quality in attack to Everton and is not just “a flash in the pan.”
That’s the verdict of one of David Moyes’ previous transfer signings for the Blues, Kevin Kilbane. With current Everton strikers Beto and Thierno Barry struggling to score as the former has not netted in the Premier League since August 30 and the latter is yet to break his duck since his £27million move in July, Moyes has been linked with a move for an additional frontman in the January window.
Ivan Toney continues to be linked, with fresh claims he is ready to take a pay cut to force a move back to the Premier League in January despite Rui Pedro Braz, the sporting director at his Saudi Pro League club Al-Ahli insisting publicly over the weekend the 29-year-old “will not be sold.” However, while the ECHO understands that he was a player on Moyes' radar when he first returned to the Blues at the start of this year, there are significant complications over whether he could come back this soon given the tax situation.
Parrott has propelled himself into the spotlight in the recent international break having bagged a brace to defeat Roberto Martinez’s Portugal 2-0 in his home city of Dublin and then netted a hat-trick in Ireland’s 3-2 comeback win in Hungary to keep their World Cup hopes alive through qualifying for the play-offs. The 23-year-old is an academy graduate at Tottenham Hotspur but made just four senior appearances for them with loan spells at Millwall, Ipswich Town, Milton Keynes Dons, Preston North End and Excelsior.
It was while at the latter that Parrott caught the eye of AZ and since his €8million (£6.7m) move in July 2024, he has established himself in Alkmaar, netting 33 goals in 61 games, including 13 in 14 matches so far this term. Asked whether he’d be telling Moyes to sign his compatriot, Kilbane, who made 121 appearances for Everton, scoring five goals, told Betway Insider: “I doubt he’s going to take my advice these days!
“But look, as I’ve said to you before, this is not a flash in the pan. It’s not just two games where he scored five goals and the first-ever Irish hat-trick away from home. “If you look at him consistently over the last couple of years at Alkmaar, he’s scored big goals in European competition, and he’s scored consistently in the Dutch league. He’s had to go away, grow up, and find himself in many respects. “Any team like Everton will monitor him over a long period, not just this window. But this window has emphasised his quality. It’s shown what he is. “If Everton or any Premier League club were to sign Troy Parrott, you’re getting quality. You’re getting a player who’s matured. He looks stronger physically.” “Irish fans know he’s not a flash in the pan, the talent is real. If you’re asking me his ceiling: it could be anything he wants. “His overall game is improving – technically and tactically. He’s far more rounded now. “And look, I believe he’s an Evertonian. I’ve heard he’s a Toffee.
“So, if he is a Toffee, we’ll take him all day long. Another Irishman in the blue jersey – we’d be first in the queue for that.”