Everton and Crystal Palace are edging closer to finalising a player swap that would send winger Dwight McNeil to Selhurst Park while Wales international Brennan Johnson makes the reverse journey to Merseyside. Both clubs are aiming to have the deal wrapped up before the weekend.
The move represents an unexpected second attempt at a transfer between the two clubs after an earlier arrangement involving McNeil collapsed in dramatic fashion. Back at the start of February, Palace had struck a loan-to-buy agreement for the 26-year-old that was set to become a permanent £20m switch this summer. McNeil had already undergone a medical, but the transfer unravelled when the necessary paperwork was not completed in time.
The failed deal drew public criticism from McNeil's partner, Megan Sharpley, who took to social media to voice her frustration with how the situation was handled. "We live in a world where everyone is aware of how big a problem mental health is," she wrote on Instagram. "So, in football, why do we find it acceptable because these young men are on a lot of money and that's OK to mess and toy with their mental health and that it's just part of the job? To have something promised to you, to have been dragged along on an emotional rollercoaster and to be toyed with until the final minute. For that to be torn away from you at the last second with absolutely no explanation has hurt more than I can say."
Months later, talks between the clubs have resumed, this time structured as a swap involving Johnson rather than a straightforward cash transfer for McNeil. The 25-year-old Wales international arrived at Palace in January for £35m and played a role in the club's run to the Conference League final, though he was an unused substitute as Palace beat Rayo Vallecano 1-0 to lift their first-ever European trophy. Despite the silverware, Johnson's time in south London on the pitch was underwhelming — he failed to find the net in 26 appearances across all competitions, including 13 Premier League starts.
Johnson's career highlight remains his time at Tottenham, where he scored the decisive goal in Spurs' 1-0 win over Manchester United in the 2025 Europa League final. His 45 caps for Wales underline his standing on the international stage, even as his club form at Palace did not match expectations.
McNeil, meanwhile, has been a regular contributor at Everton since joining from Burnley for £20m in July 2022. He has scored 15 goals in 128 appearances in all competitions for the Toffees, establishing himself as a useful attacking option under successive managers.
Last season saw Everton finish 13th in the Premier League, with Palace two places further back in 15th. However, Palace's Conference League triumph has earned them a place in next season's Europa League, adding an extra layer of intrigue to the rivalry between the two clubs.
Should the swap go through as expected, it will set up an intriguing subplot when Everton host Palace at Hill Dickinson Stadium on Saturday, 22 August, in the opening weekend of the new Premier League season. Both McNeil and Johnson could potentially find themselves facing their former clubs for the first time in the fixture, depending on how quickly the paperwork is processed this time around.
Based on reporting from BBC Sport.