Real Betis is one step closer to the transfer of the hero of the Irish national team for 20 million euros

Real Betis is in active negotiations with the Dutch AZ Alkmaar regarding the acquisition of the 24-year-old striker of the Irish national team Troy Perrott. The deal is reported to be worth €20m (£17.1m) and the parties are now close to finalizing it. The forward, who started his career at Tottenham in London, was previously heavily linked with a move to England's West Ham, but it is the Spanish club who will win the battle for the player. Troy joined Alkmaar in July 2024, joining from Spurs after a successful loan spell at another Dutch club, Excelsior. He started the 2025/26 season in incredible form, scoring 10 goals in the first seven matches. However, a knee ligament injury he suffered at the end of August sidelined him until October. Despite this hiatus, the Irishman finished the Dutch league season with an excellent record of 16 goals in 28 appearances. In addition to club success, Troy became a real hero for his national team, helping the Republic of Ireland to the World Cup playoffs. In November last year, he scored a double in the winning match against Portugal (2:0). In just three days, he scored a hat-trick in an away game against Hungary (3:2), scoring the winning goal in the 96th minute. This performance made Troy the first player in Ireland's history to score a hat-trick in an away match for the men's national team. He also became the first Irishman to score three goals in one game since the legendary Robbie Keane in 2014. The forward, who already has 37 caps for the national team, is set to be a key figure in Geimir Hallgrimsson's squad in the upcoming Nations League matches. In Group B3, the Irish will face Kosovo, Austria and Israel. The transfer to Real Betis opens new horizons for Perrott. In the 2025/26 season, the club from Sevilla finished fifth in the Spanish La Liga, which guaranteed them a direct ticket to the Champions League. A move to such a team will be a great chance for the Irishman to demonstrate his scoring ability at the highest club level in Europe.