Leeds United transfer 'target' could have prevented £60m spend at Premier League rivals

Tottenham Hotspur have been told a reported Leeds United transfer target ‘never got a fair crack of the whip’ during his time in North London.

The Whites are currently preparing for the January transfer window as they look to add further new faces to Daniel Farke’s squad after making ten new additions during the summer. A winger could be targeted once again after a late deal to bring Fulham and Wales star Harry Wilson to Elland Road fell through at the last minute on transfer deadline day in September.

There is also a belief Leeds could target an attacking midfielder and a goalkeeper could added to the wish list if Illan Meslier departs after speculation suggested the former France Under-21 international could be on the move as he enters the final six months of his current contract.

Republic of Ireland striker Troy Parrott has also been reported as a potential Whites target as Dutch outlet VoetbalNieuws have claimed Leeds will revisit their interest in the former Spurs man after making an official proposal to Dutch club AZ Alkmaar during the summer. The Eredivise club are reportedly demanding £26m for the striker after he produced two stunning performances for his country during the international break with a hat-trick against Hungary helping the Irish secure a World Cup qualifying play-off place.

The 23-year-old came through the ranks at Spurs but earned a lot of his senior experience during loan spells with Millwall, Ipswich Town, MK Dons, Preston North End and Dutch club Excelsior before making a permanent departure to the Netherlands when he joined Alkmaar during the summer of 2024. That meant Parrott’s time as a Spurs player ended with just four senior appearances and he failed to find the net during that time.

Opportunity

Former Spurs manager Tim Sherwood believes the striker could have saved his old club a significant amount of money and stressed their inability to develop Parrott into a first-team player could ‘come back and haunt them’.

He told Sky Sports News: “[Parrott] never got the opportunity to show his quality for Tottenham. He never got a fair crack of the whip. Equal opportunity is what I stand for in football. And I think the kids from the academy need to get the same opportunity as the players you’re bringing in.

“Now Tottenham have signed players for £60, £50, and £40 million, playing in Troy’s position. And I can tell you now, they’re not as good as Troy Parrott. You might as well have saved your money and given this kid an opportunity and spent it elsewhere.

“They need to look at that for the future, because there are kids underneath your nose who are good enough, if they get a little bit of love, have a cuddle, keep developing, and that boy, hopefully, for his sake, will come back and haunt them. Because at the moment, he’s going the right way about it.”

Your next Leeds United read: The 6 January transfer deals Leeds United are predicted to complete including Inter and Bologna moves