Ireland international striker Troy Parrott has admitted for the first time that his future may have to be away from Tottenham Hotspur.
The 21-year-old was granted two-year contract extension by Antonio Conte last summer immediately before his latest loan move to Preston North End.
The Championship club have been cautious about reintegrating the Dubliner since his return from a hamstring injury in January, the player admitting the aftereffects from three-month layoff were slow to shrug off.
Seven points off the playoff zone 10 games remaining, he’s part of an Irish legion at Deepdale seeking promotion but he might have a better chance of featuring in the Premier League with his loan club given the competition at White Hart Lane.
Parrott, due to be named in the Ireland squad on Thursday for Ireland’s opening Euro 2024 qualifier against France on Monday week, has made just four Spurs appearances since bursting onto the scene at 17.
A summer overhaul at the Premier League side is likely as Conte is set to depart with star striker Harry Kane possibly following him out the door and Parrott is unsure where he stands when the transition gets underway.
“I’m not sure – I hope I have a future at Tottenham,” confessed the forward, who had previous loan stints, with mixed outcomes, at Millwall, Ipswich Town and MK Dons.
“I’ve always said that’s where I want to play. But we’ll see what happens at the end of the season and then go into the summer and take it as it comes.
“I am not sure what is going to happen next year, so I am just focused on this last home-straight of the season.”
On his injury frustrations, he added: “It’s been tough at times because when I came back I just wanted to go straight away and get back into the team.
“But obviously I had a talk with the manager and the physios and settle it down a bit.
“It was so that I could fully recover and get back up to match speed the right way and not rush straight back into it, so that was tough.
“I was out for a long time so I just wanted to come back and play straight away. Now, I’m 100 per cent so I can play 60, I can play 90, I can play whatever I’m asked to do.
“I was feeling it, not in terms of the injury, but in terms of sore legs and that.
“It was more sore than normal the next day so I just had to take a step back a little bit but now I’m fine. I’m ready to go now.
“I’ve had chances and I believe I’ll get more before the season ends. It’s just about putting them in the goal now.”
(Irish Examiner)
