Leeds United have entered discussions that could see Troy Parrott move to Elland Road from AZ Alkmaar in the January transfer window. A deal is far from close, but the former Spurs striker could end up being a game-changer for the Whites if they manage to sign him.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin has worked hard and has tried gamely to lead the line for Daniel Farke this season. However, he has scored just once, and his lack of cutting edge in the penalty box has already cost Leeds points.
Leeds messed up their plans to bring in a top striker in January, and their lack of goals this season has shown that they just do not have the required quality in the final third.
Parrott has been linked with a move to Leeds, and the former Spurs star is believed to be keen on returning to England. However, this will be far from an easy deal to do in January.
Troy Parrott will instantly add more quality to the Leeds United squad
A product of the Spurs academy, Parrott had loan spells at Millwall, MK Dons, Ipswich Town and Preston before he joined Dutch side Excelsior on loan in 2023.
He scored 17 times in 32 appearances for the Dutch outfit, which earned him a permanent move to AZ Alkmaar in the summer of 2024.
Parrott scored 20 goals in 47 appearances in his first season at AZ, and has stepped up to another level in the ongoing campaign with 13 goals in 14 games.
He has developed into a lethal goalscorer in the Netherlands, and his goals could even end up powering Ireland to qualify for the 2026 World Cup.
It is no surprise that Leeds want to sign the former Spurs target, as he has shown in the last 18 months that he has developed into a reliable goalscorer.
The normal concerns about a striker needing time to settle in England after moving from a foreign league could be safely parked, as Parrott already has major experience of playing in England.
Playing in the Premier League would be a major step up, but Leeds need a more reliable goalscorer, and he is one of the strikers that they want to gamble on in the winter window.
Is he affordable?
Leeds are in talks with AZ to understand the margins of a potential deal, but it would take a big fee to convince the Dutch giants to sell Parrott in January.
He has been their top striker for more than 18 months, and, naturally, they want a club-record fee in excess of £26m before agreeing to sell him.
Leeds have been insisting since the end of the last window that they maxed out their PSR spending last summer. However, they are at a bigger financial risk if they get relegated back to the Championship.
The 49ers have grand plans of turning Leeds into a £1bn club by 2030, but that is based on Leeds being part of the Premier League furniture.
The Leeds owners must realise that not spending in January could push them into a bigger financial hole if they return to the Championship next year.
Signing Parrott could make or break Leeds’ season, and they must push the financial envelope to get a deal over the line in January.
