West Ham and AZ had been negotiating over Troy Parrott for a while, with a deal looking imminent. AZ held out for a fee of €25 million, which the Hammers did not come close to, with the relegated London side reportedly offering €17.5 million earlier in August.
According to the usually reliable Joost Blaauwhof of Voetbal International, West Ham called the deal off and pivoted to Leeds United striker Joel Piroe. That transfer is already in the closing stages, Blaauwhof reported.
It was widely expected within the AZ ranks that Parrott would leave the club, as both manager Leeroy Echteld and striker Mexx Meerdink looked ahead at the Irishman's departure ahead of Saturday's game against FC Utrecht.
"We’re assuming that Troy will secure the transfer he has more than earned," Echteld told Voetbalprimeur, while fellow striker Meerdink was happy for Parrott's assumed transfer: "It’s a shame he’s leaving us. He deserves a great move."
Parrott, 24, joined AZ from Tottenham Hotspur in 2024 and has scored 51 goals in 97 appearances for the Alkmaar outfit.
The Irishman is reportedly still attracting interest from around Europe, with RB Leipzig and FC Porto after him, according to reports.
As the summer transfer window ramps up, Flashscore has everything you need to keep up with breaking news, rumours and analysis. Follow our live transfer blog to follow the biggest moves, whilst expert Dean Jones will be on hand to provide the inside stories from around the world.