Overview
- The clubs confirmed the swap on Tuesday with Brennan Johnson signing a four‑year contract at Everton and being handed the number 22 shirt while Dwight McNeil moved to Selhurst Park.
- Reports say no cash appears to have changed hands and the two players were exchanged as a direct swap rather than separate purchase and sale deals.
- Former Everton CEO Keith Wyness told reporters the transfer will likely be booked as two individual transactions so Palace can spread Johnson’s reported £35m fee over the remaining contract years and both clubs can improve their squad‑cost ratio positions.
- Analysts and pundits note the sporting case for Everton: Johnson offers higher sprint speeds and a stronger goals‑per‑minute record than McNeil despite a goalless 26‑appearance spell at Palace, and Everton expect Moyes to try to revive his form.
- The swap produced an on‑air pundit row that ended with an apology and a public rebuttal from Johnson, and it sets up an immediate on‑pitch reunion between Everton and Palace on the opening weekend which will test how the new moves affect both players and squads.