Crystal Palace co-owner Steve Parish contacted Dwight McNeil's partner, Megan Sharpley, to smooth things over before completing the midfielder's transfer from Everton this week. The move follows a collapsed January deal that saw McNeil publicly criticised on Palace's behalf after paperwork issues scuppered a £20m loan-to-buy switch, despite him having already passed a medical, prompting Sharpley to accuse the club of damaging his mental health.

McNeil, 26, has now signed a four-year contract at Selhurst Park as part of a swap deal that sent Brennan Johnson to Everton. He previously joined Everton from Burnley for £20m in 2022, scoring 15 goals in 128 appearances, while Johnson, who arrived at Palace for £35m in January, struggled for form with no goals in 26 games before his move to Goodison Park. Palace, who have won the FA Cup, Community Shield and Uefa Conference League in the past two seasons, said McNeil is "a player with proven ability in the Premier League".