Everton and Crystal Palace have officially completed a swap deal involving wingers Brennan Johnson and Dwight McNeil, wrapping up one of the more unusual transfer sagas of the summer window.
Johnson departs Selhurst Park just seven months after arriving there in a club-record £35m deal, while McNeil heads to south London six months after a proposed £20m switch to Palace collapsed in dramatic fashion at the end of the January window. As with other swap arrangements in recent seasons, the deal had to satisfy the Premier League's fair market value regulations, which were introduced following a wave of profit and sustainability rule-related transfers in 2024.
Wales international Johnson, who has 45 caps for his country, struggled to make a lasting impact during his brief spell at Palace, failing to score in 26 appearances despite having contributed to European success at previous clubs, including scoring the winning goal in Tottenham's 2025 Europa League triumph. He now becomes David Moyes' second winger addition of the summer at Everton, following the arrival of Tyrique George, as the Scottish manager bolsters his attacking options.
Speaking to Everton's in-house media, Johnson expressed enthusiasm about his move to Merseyside. "It's a massive club and one that when I first heard of the interest, I immediately wanted to come and be part of it," he said. "There were a lot of reasons why I was so keen to join – the manager, the players, the direction the team is going in. You can see this is a club that wants to go in the right direction, and I'm a player who wants to go in that direction so it feels like a really good match."
The 24-year-old also outlined his ambitions at Hill Dickinson Stadium, referencing conversations with Moyes about rediscovering his best form. "I want to come in and show what I can do. The manager spoke to me about getting back to the form that I've shown previously, and that's a massive thing for me," he explained, adding that he believes Everton can push for European qualification and silverware after finishing 13th last season.
McNeil's path to Palace has been anything but straightforward. Signed by Everton from Burnley for £20m in 2022 under Frank Lampard, the winger registered 15 goals and 19 assists across 128 appearances for the Toffees. His move to Palace was initially agreed in January but fell through at the last moment, prompting his partner, Megan Sharpley, to publicly criticise the south London club on social media for what she described as damage to his mental wellbeing during the process.
Despite the collapsed deal, McNeil returned to action for Everton, making eight further appearances before this summer's switch was finally sealed. He now becomes Palace's third signing under new manager Pierre Sage, joining Oscar Mingueza and Takehiro Tomiyasu at Selhurst Park.
Reflecting on the move, McNeil pointed to Palace's recent trophy success as a major draw. "The lads have had some great success over the last two seasons. It's something that I want to be a part of, so I'm really looking forward to getting started," he said, referencing the club's FA Cup, Community Shield and Europa Conference League triumphs.
Palace chairman Steve Parish welcomed the winger's arrival, describing him as "a player with proven ability in the Premier League."
The two clubs will meet in a fitting twist of fate on the opening weekend of the new Premier League season, with Everton hosting Palace at Hill Dickinson Stadium on 22 August.
Based on reporting from Independent Football and BBC Sport.