Everton and Palace complete McNeil-Johnson swap
Everton and Crystal Palace have completed a swap deal that sends winger Dwight McNeil to Selhurst Park and takes Brennan Johnson to Goodison Park. McNeil, 26, has signed a deal until 2030, while 25-year-old Johnson has agreed a four-year contract with Everton. The move ends a saga that began in February, when a proposed loan-to-buy transfer for McNeil to Palace collapsed at the paperwork stage despite him passing a medical, prompting his partner to publicly criticise the club.
McNeil joined Everton from Burnley for £20m in 2022 and has scored 15 goals with 19 assists in 128 appearances. Johnson, a 45-cap Wales international, moved to Palace from Tottenham for £35m in January but failed to score in 26 games; he had earlier joined Spurs from Nottingham Forest for over £45m and scored their Europa League final winner last May. Both players cited ambition as a factor in the switch, with Johnson pointing to Everton's direction under their manager and McNeil keen to join a Palace side that has won the FA Cup, Community Shield and Europa Conference League in the past two seasons. The two clubs meet on 22 August, the opening weekend of the new Premier League season.
- Everton and Crystal Palace swap Dwight McNeil and Brennan Johnson
- McNeil signs until 2030; Johnson agrees four-year Everton deal
- Deal follows collapse of McNeil's February move to Palace
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Both players needed fresh starts to revive their careers. Johnson demonstrated proven quality at Forest and Spurs, earning 45 Welsh caps; one difficult season at Palace does not negate that talent. McNeil, a consistent performer for Everton, moves to a club with genuine recent trophy success. Respecting players' ambitions and giving them opportunity to reignite their form elsewhere is sound football business.
The case against
Johnson's inability to score in 26 games at Palace suggests a genuine underlying problem rather than mere adjustment difficulties; Everton's acquisition of him appears reactive rather than strategically confident. More troublingly, McNeil's desire to leave Everton despite the club's substantial investment signals that the club's direction under their manager is not compelling to key players—a concerning indicator about the club's future prospects and appeal.