Parish reached out to McNeil's partner ahead of transfer

Dwight McNeil has completed his move to Crystal Palace as part of a swap deal that sees Brennan Johnson head to Everton. The 26-year-old midfielder has signed a four-year contract with the Eagles.

This transfer closes a painful chapter from January. McNeil had already agreed a loan-with-option-to-buy deal worth £20m with Palace, passed his medical, but the move collapsed at the last minute due to paperwork issues. His partner, Megan Sharpley, criticised the club publicly on Instagram, writing about being "toyed with" and the emotional toll the failed move had taken.

According to BBC Sport, Steve Parish, the Palace co-owner and chairman, personally contacted Sharpley to rebuild bridges before this week's deal was completed. McNeil joined Everton from Burnley for £20m in July 2022 and made 128 appearances, scoring 15 goals. Johnson, a £35m signing in January, departs having struggled to find form with 26 appearances and no goals.