Troy Parrott was one of the many players deemed surplus to requirement by Tottenham in the summer.
He has, however, started the season in fine form after returning to the Netherlands—on a permanent move this time.
One of Spurs’ former players thinks the club have made a mistake in letting him go for good.
Rafael van der Vaart says selling Troy Parrott was a mistake
Former Tottenham midfielder Rafael van der Vaart recently came out criticising his former club’s decision to sell academy forward Troy Parrott.
“He’s going to be a really big player.
“I saw him at Excelsior, but then he was more on the counter. Now he is a good, footballing striker who actually has everything.
“He just needs to develop his killer instinct a bit. He is a gem.”
Van der Vaart on Parrott, as quoted by Football London.
Graduating from the Spurs academy, the Republic of Ireland international found chances hard to come by in North London, which was not a surprise given the presence of Harry Kane. He was sold to AZ Alkmaar in the recent summer transfer window for £6.7 million after impressing in the Eredivisie last season on loan at Excelsior.
The 22-year-old has started this season in sensational form and already has six goals from ten appearances across all competitions.
Parrott has in place with AZ a €980k-per-week contract running until June 2029.
Well, not really
When we talk about player performances, we often conveniently neglect how much not working out at a club also plays a role in a player wanting to prove themselves at their next destination.
Parrott hardly had a shot at the striker’s position at Spurs and did not uproot any trees when he did get the chance; Spurs did the right thing by moving him on, for this way he not only gets the first team minutes to prove himself, his sale has not only helped Spurs in the here and now but may also help them in the future given the 20% sell-on clause in his AZ contract.
This was a win-win deal for all parties included. One can only wish Parrott all the best after his impressive start to permanent life in the Netherlands and hope he makes it big on the European stage.
