Troy Parrott joined AZ Alkmaar in July 2024 after his loan spell at Excelsior Rotterdam. A year on, he is close to another jump. BBC Sport reports that Real Betis are in advanced talks with AZ over a 20m euros deal, with Parrott's 16 league goals in 28 games last season turning a promising move in the Netherlands into a bigger transfer.

From AZ rebuild to Betis interest

Parrott's last two years have had a clear pattern. He left Tottenham for AZ in July 2024, found regular football and finished the Dutch league campaign with 16 goals in 28 games. That is the sort of return that changes the conversation around a young striker, especially one who had already started to carry more weight for the Republic of Ireland.

His November international run added to that rise. He scored both goals in a win over Portugal and then hit a hat-trick, including a 96th-minute winner, away to Hungary. Those were the moments that pushed him beyond being a player in decent club form and into being one of Ireland's main attacking hopes.

There was also evidence in Europe that the level was holding up. Parrott scored 2 goals in AZ's win over Sparta Praha on 12 March 2026 and followed that with 1 goal and 1 assist in a 4-0 away win there on 19 March 2026. He also played 90 minutes against FC Noah on 19 February and 26 February, then 74 minutes against Shakhtar Donetsk on 9 April. AZ were clearly leaning on him through that run.

Mexx Meerdink, quoted by rte.ie, said: "It is a shame that he is going to leave us, but for me it is a great chance to show myself. He deserves a good move. And then it is my time."

That sense of timing makes sense. Parrott has already had the development move. Betis would be the test of whether he can turn that progress into output in a stronger league.

Betis offer a step up, and a risk

Betis finished fifth in La Liga last season and qualified for the Champions League. They took 60 points, so this is not a glamorous name floating in mid-table. It is a club offering a higher level, European football and, according to rte.ie, only one pure centre-forward on the books in Cucho Hernandez.

Alan Cawley thinks that makes the fit appealing. Quoted by rte.ie, he said: "I think it's a good one because of the manager that's there - hugely experienced and will look after him."

Cawley also argued Betis may suit Parrott better than a return to England. Quoted by rte.ie, he said: "I was always wary of the whole West Ham thing, coming back to London, English football again, the physical nature of it. He's obviously experienced the more technical side over in the Netherlands, banging in goals as well."

That feels persuasive. Parrott's recent progress has come in a league and football culture that reward movement, combination play and touch in tight spaces. A move to Spain lines up with that more neatly than throwing him back into a familiar English debate about whether he can scrap his way through games.

The caution is obvious too. Keith Treacy, quoted by rte.ie, said: "But there's another side where he goes to Betis and it doesn't really click and it becomes a bit bogged down and he doesn't play and then he's back in the Ireland jersey and that confidence is gone and we're all back to square one thinking the shining light is not the shining light anymore."

That warning should not be dismissed, because a striker's momentum can disappear quickly when minutes go. Still, Betis are not buying a project player off reputation alone. They are moving for someone who scored 16 times in 28 league games last season and kept producing on European nights as well.

Parrott's next move now looks less like a gamble and more like the next stage of the path he started when he left Tottenham for AZ. The deal is not done yet, but the shape of it is clear: Betis want him after a breakout year, and the move on the table is 20m euros.

FAQ

Will Troy Parrott complete a move to Real Betis?

Real Betis are in advanced talks with AZ Alkmaar over a 20m euros deal for Troy Parrott, but the transfer is not yet complete. The reporting points to a move that is close, with Betis pushing after Parrott's strong season in the Netherlands.

Why do some analysts think Real Betis is a good move for Troy Parrott?

Alan Cawley's view is that Betis suits Parrott because Manuel Pellegrini is an experienced manager and the style should fit a striker who has developed on the technical side in the Netherlands. Betis also reached the Champions League after finishing fifth in La Liga last season.

What has Troy Parrott done at AZ Alkmaar to earn bigger interest?

Parrott joined AZ Alkmaar in July 2024 and finished last season with 16 league goals in 28 games. He also produced in Europe, including two goals against Sparta Praha and a separate away game in Prague where he had one goal and one assist.

Could a move to Real Betis hurt Troy Parrott's momentum?

Keith Treacy raised that risk directly, arguing the move could become difficult if Parrott does not play regularly and his confidence drops. That concern is real, but Betis' need for a centre-forward and Parrott's form suggest this is a step up with a clear opening rather than a move made on hype alone.

Written by Daniel Hartley with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 2 outlets. How we work →