FC Groningen finds ideal successor for Thom van Bergen. AZ has officially joined the battle to sign Thom van Bergen from FC Groningen. The Alkmaarders see the 22-year-old striker as the ideal successor to Troy Parrott, who is looking to take a step up after a highly successful season. Although the impending departure of the club's own youth product would be a significant sporting blow to the northerners, a solution seems to be in sight. Data from SciSports shows that Paris Brunner from AS Monaco is an excellent candidate to take over the striker position in the Euroborg. The interest from the AFAS Stadium does not come out of the blue. AZ is taking into account a summer departure of Parrott, who scored 31 goals in 48 official matches last season and is in the sights of Leeds United. To get the front line ready in time, the club management has already officially registered in Groningen. The youth international, who was also linked to clubs such as Birmingham City and Hamburger SV, is positive about the domestic transfer. In North Holland, the striker is guaranteed to play in the group stage of the Europa League. Read more: Why FC Groningen is willing to work with a transfer of Thom van Bergen to AZ For the team of coach Dick Lukkien, a possible departure of the right-footed player means the loss of a crucial pawn in the high-pressure football. The goal-scorer missed no competitive match in the past two seasons and scored nine goals and four assists in 34 appearances in the last Eredivisie season. FC Groningen is demanding a sum of around five million euros for the strong player. The youth exponent broke his contract at the end of last year, making him tied to the north until mid-2028. Technical director Mo Allach is wise to demand a significant resale percentage, given the proven resale model of the Alkmaarders and the growth potential (72.1) of the striker. If the transfer is actually completed, the data from SciSports provides a targeted alternative. According to the database, Brunner has a similarity of 99% with the current Groningen striker. The 20-year-old German is still considered a huge talent in his homeland, which is underscored by his potential of 70.3. Brunner received his education at Rot Weiss Essen and Borussia Dortmund, before making the move to AS Monaco in the summer of 2024 for a fee of four million euros. In the principality, the striker is still tied until the end of June 2028. So far, the promise has not been fully realized in the French competition. In the last season, the striker functioned mainly as a reserve player and did not score in seven competitive matches for the Monegasken. Earlier, the striker was loaned to Cercle Brugge during the 2024/25 season, where Brunner scored six goals in 28 official matches. Read more: FC Groningen shifts focus to the backline after Vaessen deal