Crystal Palace co-owner and chairman Steve Parish reportedly contacted Dwight McNeil’s partner, Megan Sharpley, prior to the midfielder’s recent transfer to the club. This outreach occurred after a previous deal for McNeil to join Palace fell through in the January transfer window, which led to public criticism from Sharpley regarding the impact on McNeil’s mental well-being.
McNeil has now completed his move to Palace, signing a four-year contract as part of a swap deal that saw Brennan Johnson transfer to Everton. The midfielder, 26, had previously been close to joining Palace in January through a loan-to-buy agreement that would have become a £20m permanent move. However, that deal collapsed due to incomplete paperwork, despite McNeil having already passed a medical examination.
Previous Deal Collapse and Criticism
Following the failure of the January transfer, Megan Sharpley expressed her disappointment on Instagram. She highlighted concerns about how the situation affected McNeil’s mental health, stating, “To have something promised to you, to have been dragged along on an emotional rollercoaster and to be toyed with until the final minute. For that to be torn away from you at the last second with absolutely no explanation has hurt more than I can say.” Sharpley also questioned why the football world found it acceptable to toy with young players’ mental health, despite awareness of the issue.
Reports indicate that Parish reached out to Sharpley to address these concerns and smooth over the situation before the latest transfer agreement was finalised. This gesture appears to have paved the way for McNeil’s eventual move to Selhurst Park.
Player Movements and Club Ambitions
McNeil joined Everton from Burnley for £20m in July 2022, where he scored 15 goals in 128 games for the Toffees. Upon joining Palace, McNeil expressed his enthusiasm, noting the club’s recent successes. “The lads have had some great success over the last two seasons. It’s something that I want to be a part of, so I’m really looking forward to getting started,” he said.
Parish also commented on the acquisition, describing McNeil as “a player with proven ability in the Premier League.” Crystal Palace has achieved significant success in recent seasons, winning the FA Cup, Community Shield, and Uefa Conference League in the last two campaigns.
Johnson’s Departure and Palace’s Other Dealings
The swap deal involved Brennan Johnson moving to Everton. Johnson had initially signed for Palace in a £35m deal in January but struggled to find form during his tenure, making 26 appearances in all competitions without scoring. He had joined Palace from Tottenham Hotspur, who had signed him from Nottingham Forest for a fee in excess of £45m in 2023. Johnson scored Tottenham’s winning goal in the Europa League final last May before his move to Palace.
Johnson expressed his eagerness about his new club, stating, “There were a lot of reasons why I was so keen to join – the manager, the players, the direction the team is going in. You can see this is a club that wants to go in the right direction, and I’m a player who wants to go in that direction, too, so it feels like a really good match.”
In other transfer news, Crystal Palace is also reportedly finalising a deal to sign Anan Khalaili from Union Saint-Gilloise for £21m. The Israel right-back underwent a medical on Sunday and is expected to sign a five-year contract, following a previous move to Internazionale that fell through last month after he failed a medical.
Source: bbc.co.uk