Everton and Crystal Palace in talks over swap deal for McNeil and Johnson

Everton and Crystal Palace are in discussions over a potential swap deal that would see Everton winger Dwight McNeil move to Selhurst Park, with Wales international Brennan Johnson heading in the opposite direction. Both clubs are aiming to conclude the arrangement before the end of the week.

McNeil, 26, previously came close to joining Palace in February. A loan-to-buy agreement was set for a £20m permanent move, but the deal collapsed at the final stage due to paperwork delays, despite the player having already completed a medical.

Johnson, 25, joined Palace in a £35m deal this past January. Although he struggled for goals, failing to score in 26 appearances across all competitions, he was part of the squad that secured the Conference League title. Johnson previously made headlines in May 2025 by scoring the winning goal for Tottenham in their 1-0 Europa League final victory over Manchester United.

Everton finished 13th in the Premier League last season, while Palace, despite their European success, ended two spots below them in the domestic table. The two sides are scheduled to face each other at the Hill Dickinson Stadium on Saturday, 22 August, for the opening weekend of the new Premier League campaign.