Everton and Crystal Palace have held talks over a potential swap deal for wingers Dwight McNeil and Brennan Johnson, but an agreement is expected to be difficult to reach due to a significant gap in their valuations.
Background of the players
McNeil came close to joining Palace in the winter transfer window this year, but the deal collapsed at the last minute. Johnson only joined the Eagles from Tottenham Hotspur in January for £35m, but things have not gone particularly well for him at Selhurst Park.
The Wales international has added the UEFA Conference League title to his CV, after winning the Europa League with Spurs the previous season. However, in 26 appearances for Palace so far, he is yet to score a goal and was left as an unused substitute in the Conference League final win over Rayo Vallecano.
Swap deal complications
Now there is talk that he could make a swift departure from south London, with Everton interested in bringing him to Merseyside. The Times report that talks have been held over a possible swap deal for McNeil and Johnson, but there is a significant gap in their valuations which will make it difficult to do.
After the Eagles paid £35m for Johnson just eight months ago, they will be reluctant to accept that his value has dropped much since then. The Welshman is still just 25 years old and signed a four-and-a-half year contract when he moved from Spurs.
McNeil is into the final year of his contract at Everton, having signed for £20m from Burnley in 2022. The 26-year-old’s proposed deal in January was a loan move with a £20m obligation to buy, so Everton will struggle to argue that he is worth the same amount as Johnson.
Likely outcome
An agreement looks very unlikely as a straight swap, although separate transfers could be worked out, with Everton paying more for Johnson that Crystal Palace do for McNeil. The former Burnley winger made 25 appearances for Everton last season and failed to score a goal.
McNeil's partner speaks out
The collapsed move in the winter attracted a lot of attention after McNeil’s partner, Megan Sharpley, spoke out on how ‘brutal’ football can be as clubs control the futures of players and their families.
‘Tonight, and the last 48 hours, have broken my heart to see how the football world you love so much can be so cruel to you,’ she said. ‘To have something promised to you, to have been dragged along on an emotional rollercoaster, and to be toyed with until the final minute.
‘To have 4-and-a-half-years of your life promised to you, traveling, medicals, agreements made… promises made. ‘To have prepared to move your entire life, our life 100 of miles away in the space of a few hours. ‘For it to be torn away from you at the last second, with absolutely no explanation. Going from everything — to radio silence, no phone call, no communication and be left, broken hearted with nothing but confusion, has hurt more than I can say.’
She added: ‘We live in a world where everyone is aware how big of a problem mental health is. ‘So in football, why do we find it acceptable because these young men are on a lot of money, that it’s okay to mess and toy with their mental health and that’s just “part of the job”? ‘No matter of money, we all deserve to be treated with respect, kindness and fairly — so I really question the industry tonight, I only hope there’s more done in the future to protect people from situations like what I’ve witnessed tonight. ‘Football is brutal and yes, it’s the nature of the beast, but messing with human beings’ feelings and emotions shouldn’t be acceptable. ‘People only see one side on the media, you don’t see the tears, the emotion and the distress I’ve seen tonight.’
