McNeil & Johnson in £55m Swap Deal
Everton's Dwight McNeil and Crystal Palace's Brennan Johnson are set to join each other's clubs in a swap deal, with both players expected to sign four-year contracts after undergoing medicals
Everton and Crystal Palace have agreed a swap deal that will see Dwight McNeil join the Eagles and Brennan Johnson move to Everton. Both players are expected to undergo medicals at their respective new clubs and sign four-year contracts.
Dwight McNeil nearly moved to Crystal Palace in January, but the deal fell through due to paperwork issues. He joined Everton from Burnley for £20m in July 2022.
Brennan Johnson joined Crystal Palace in January for a £35m deal and has 45 caps for Wales with seven goals. He scored the winning goal for Tottenham in the Europa League final in May 2025.
The swap deal comes after a previous attempt to transfer McNeil to Palace in January fell through. Crystal Palace co-owner and chairman Steve Parish contacted Dwight McNeil's partner before the midfielder's move to the club.
## What the deal means for both clubs The deal is a huge boost for David Moyes and new Palace manager Pierre Sage. Everton have already signed Christian Norgaard from Arsenal, Hayden Hackney from Middlesbrough, and completed permanent deals for Tyrique George and Merlin Rohl. Palace have signed defensive duo Oscar Mingueza and Takehiro Tomiyasu as free agents.
## Context The swap deal is a significant move for both clubs, with both players expected to play important roles in their new teams. The deal is also a testament to the growing trend of swap deals in the football transfer market, where clubs are increasingly looking for creative ways to strengthen their squads without breaking the bank.
