Everton’s Troy Parrott decision questioned as striker shines at Real Betis

Everton's decision not to pursue Troy Parrott is coming under scrutiny after the Republic of Ireland striker made an impressive start to life at Real Betis.

David Moyes reportedly considered the 24-year-old before the Spanish club signed him from AZ Alkmaar for around €20million (£17.1m) in August.

Everton remain unbeaten in the Premier League, but with only six goals in five matches, their lack of centre-forward depth has raised questions about whether Parrott represented a missed opportunity.

According to Spanish newspaper AS, Moyes decided against signing Parrott despite Everton discussing the striker during the winter transfer window and again in the summer.

Former Everton midfielder Kevin Kilbane had encouraged Moyes to consider the Irish international, highlighting his development during his time in Dutch football.

Instead, Everton pursued Folarin Balogun and Joshua Zirkzee, but neither move materialised.

That left Thierno Barry as the club's only recognised senior centre-forward.

Barry has scored twice this season, helping Everton collect nine points from two wins and three draws, but Moyes has limited alternatives in attack.

Parrott has quickly justified Betis' investment, scoring a winner against Real Madrid and finding the net against Lille in the Champions League.

He has also been prolific for the Republic of Ireland, scoring nine goals across his last six competitive international appearances.

That includes a brace against Austria on 1 October.

His combination of movement, finishing and ability to link play could have offered Everton another attacking option.

However, it remains impossible to know whether he would have reproduced those performances in Moyes' system.

Everton's unbeaten start suggests Moyes has established a competitive side, but their modest goalscoring return leaves little room for attacking inconsistency.

Parrott's reported €20m fee also looks increasingly significant given his performances in Spain.

Nevertheless, judging Everton's decision after just five league matches would be premature.

The greater concern is whether Barry can carry the centre-forward responsibility without adequate competition or cover throughout the campaign.

Everton will look to maintain their unbeaten start while assessing whether their attacking options are sufficient for the months ahead. If goals become harder to find, Moyes' decision to overlook Parrott could face further scrutiny ahead of the January transfer window.