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Troy Parrott in major Celtic admission: €18m striker reveals transfer snub
Tom Weber
- 20 Feb 2026 11:43 GMT
- 4 min read
News
AZ striker Troy Parrott has revealed that he previously turned down the chance to join Celtic.
The Republic of Ireland has become one of Europe's most prolific strikers in the Netherlands. Parrott has scored a whopping 23 goals in 32 appearances so far this season for AZ, while also providing six assists.
The campaign hasn't all been smooth sailing for him. After scoring seven goals in Conference League qualifying, he has yet to net in the competition proper, but the Dublin-born striker has nevertheless become a sought-after commodity.
Current ETV
Troy Parrott
F (C)
AZ
Troy Parrott
F (C)
AZ
ETV Range
€16.5M - €20.2M
Everton have been repeatedly linked with a move for the 24-year-old. However, AZ refused to entertain January offers for their star forward. It would have required a fee well in excess of his Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) of €18.3 million to get the Alkmaar club to sell.
Ironically, though, Parrott could already have been a Toffees player a long time ago. In fact, he could also have joined Celtic and several other clubs, as he has now revealed in an interview with Voetbal International.
Parrott: I turned down Celtic for Spurs
Recalling the journey that ultimately led him to the Eredivisie, the Irishman revealed that he had trials with a host of big-name clubs around the UK before he decided to join Tottenham.
Having chosen soccer over Gaelic football and boxing, Parrott initially started out as a midfielder before being moved further forward. "My very first season, I played in central midfield at Stella Maris, a local club," he explained.
"Soon after, I moved to a slightly bigger club, Belvedere FC, and I became a striker there. Less running, more scoring: I loved it straight away. And I turned out to be good at it. From a young age, I was asked by foreign clubs to do trials.
"I played for Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur, Aston Villa, Everton, Wolverhampton Wanderers, and Celtic. Some clubs turned me down, but in the end, I had to choose between Spurs, Everton, Wolves, and Celtic.
"Tottenham gave me the best feeling. I felt incredibly welcome there, which is especially important at a young age."
Unfortunately for Parrott, he did not make the grade after rising through the ranks at Spurs. He only made four senior appearances in his seven years at the North London club and left permanently for AZ in 2024 after several loans to clubs in England and the Netherlands.
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