West Ham United have been beaten to the signing of striker Troy Parrott, with Real Betis emerging as the frontrunners to secure the Republic of Ireland international for around €20m (£17m), according to talkSPORT.

The Hammers had held active discussions with AZ Alkmaar over a deal this summer, but talks collapsed after West Ham failed to match the Dutch club's valuation of the 24-year-old. The fee in question would have ranked Parrott among the most expensive signings in Championship history — a category West Ham now find themselves in following relegation from the Premier League.

Real Betis, who secured Champions League football by finishing fifth in La Liga last season, can offer Parrott elite European competition — something West Ham simply cannot match from the second tier. Negotiations between Betis and AZ Alkmaar are reported to be in their final stages, with the deal edging closer to completion.

A breakout season in Dutch football

Parrott's appeal is hardly surprising given the form he produced in the Netherlands. After a productive loan spell at Excelsior — where he scored 17 goals in all competitions — he completed a permanent move to AZ Alkmaar and cemented himself as one of the most dangerous forwards in the Eredivisie.

The 2025/26 campaign was his finest yet. Parrott registered 31 goals and 10 assists across 48 appearances in all competitions for AZ Alkmaar, including 16 goals in the Eredivisie alone.

His club form was matched by a series of eye-catching performances for Ireland during the World Cup qualifying campaign last autumn. The highlight came against Hungary, when Parrott scored a hat-trick — capped by a 96th-minute winner — to seal a 3-2 victory and announce himself to a wider European audience.

West Ham turn attention elsewhere

Having missed out on their top attacking target, West Ham must now look to alternative options to fuel a Championship promotion push. The Hammers opened their 2026/27 season with a Carabao Cup victory over Portsmouth before drawing 2-2 with Burnley in their first league fixture.

Parrott, meanwhile, is expected to finalise his move to Seville within days. For the former Tottenham Hotspur striker, the switch to Real Betis represents a significant step up — and a chance to compete on European football's biggest stage.