West Ham United have been linked with a surprise transfer for Jamie Vardy, but Nuno Espírito Santos’ transfer team have a completely different former Premier League striker on their radar.
The Hammers have put the relegation from last season behind them and are fully focused on securing immediate promotion. With a star-studded squad, they are the clear favourites to win the Championship title – many are even predicting that they will do so with a record number of points.
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Jarrod Bowen, El Hadji Malick Diouf, Tomáš Souček and Valentín Castellanos are among the high-profile names who will stay. They have been joined by Joel Veltman (free agent after Brighton) and Manor Solomon from Tottenham for £7 million.
Preparing a new bid for Troy Parrott
While West Ham have considered a potential deal for former Leicester hero Vardy, according to SunSport , they are also chasing another former Tottenham striker: Troy Parrott. The Irishman is still high on Santos’ wish list – despite the club having already had one bid rejected earlier this summer.
Dutch journalist Joost Blaauwhof gives an update:
– Troy Parrott is on his way out of AZ. A bid from West Ham was already rejected, but the Hammers will return. The London club have made the Irishman their absolute top target this summer. RB Leipzig is also in the game.
Arsenal will have the opportunity to trim their midfield, collect €90 million – and make room for a super trio
51 goals in 97 games
Parrott has been at Alkmaar since the summer of 2024, when he joined from Tottenham for around £6.7 million. Since then, he has delivered impressive numbers: 51 goals in 97 appearances for the Eredivisie club, and he played a key role in their triumph in the Dutch Cup last season.
The 24-year-old has received rave reviews – not only in the Netherlands, but also in Ireland. When he faced Shelbourne in the Conference League last season, he left Paddy Barrett speechless:
“He has the best movement I’ve ever played against. He’s incredible. Incredible player.
West Ham stats for Parrott (Eredivisie 2025/26)
| Statistics | Value |
|---|---|
| Matches (starts) | 28 (25) |
| Objectives | 16 |
| Assists | 4 |
| Total Goal Points (G+A) | 20 |
| Non-penalty goals | 14 |
| Penalty Scored (Attempted) | 2 (5) |
| Goals per 90 minutes | 0,65 |
| Assists per 90 minutes | 0,16 |
| Goal Points Per 90 Minutes | 0,82 |
Could be a signing with weight
Parrott has three years left on his contract, but all indications are that he is leaving. A return to England could be tempting – he has previously been on loan at MK Dons, Preston, Ipswich and Millwall.
Several obstacles remain for the East Londoners – including interest from RB Leipzig. In addition, Tottenham put in a 20 percent resale clause when Parrott left for Alkmaar in July 2024.
With a few weeks left in the window, a move to the London Stadium is still a real possibility. If West Ham make an improved bid, Parrott could be the signing that sends the Hammers straight back to the Premier League.
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