Brennan Johnson and Dwight McNeil Swap: A Bold Reset
Brennan Johnson has barely had time to unpack in south London. Eight months after Crystal Palace made him a reported £35 million club-record signing from Tottenham, he is on the move again – this time to Everton on a four-year deal.
In a rare straight swap between Premier League clubs, Dwight McNeil heads the other way to Selhurst Park. Two wingers, two stalled seasons, one bold reset.
Two careers at a crossroads
Johnson’s Palace stint never caught fire. The Wales international went 26 games in all competitions without a goal, his move from Spurs quickly turning from statement signing into an awkward talking point.
McNeil’s year at Everton followed a similar pattern. Once tipped as a future star at Burnley, the 26-year-old also finished the campaign without a goal in 25 appearances for the Toffees, his reputation dulled by a season that never really got going.
So when the deal dropped, it wasn’t just the clubs making headlines. The pundits piled in too.
“We’ll give you crap, we’ll give you crap back”
Live on talkSPORT, former Tottenham midfielder Jamie O’Hara and ex-Aston Villa striker Gabriel Agbonlahor tore into the numbers behind the move.
"I like Dwight McNeil," O'Hara said. "Brennan Johnson has been a myth for a few seasons. He didn’t do it at Spurs. He hides in games."
Agbonlahor went straight to the stats. He pointed out the lack of goals and assists from both wingers last season, joking: "You look at their output last season. It’s a bit like ‘you give us him and we’ll give you him!'"
The tone only sharpened from there. As the pair laughed, O’Hara delivered the line that would go viral: "We’ll give you crap, we’ll give you crap back!"
The clip rocketed around social media. So did the response.
Johnson bites back
Johnson didn’t let it slide. Under an Instagram post of the exchange, the 25-year-old dropped an eight-word reply that cut straight to the ego.
"Won more than both of these put together."
No emojis. No explanation. Just a pointed reminder of his medal collection compared to the two former pros dissecting his game.
That comment lit up the replies and dragged the debate into another news cycle. It also forced O’Hara back into the conversation.
O’Hara defends his stance
On Wednesday morning, O’Hara took to X to clarify what he felt the viral snippet had missed.
"This [is] the [problem] when you only listen to a clip and not full story," he wrote. He stressed that the criticism was aimed squarely at last season’s output, not the players’ overall ability.
"We were talking about Brennan and McNeil’s stats from last season which were CRAP not that they were bad players. I’m a fan of McNeill and also said Brennan has all the attributes but he would admit his season was crap."
The message was clear: harsh on the numbers, softer on the talent.
Fresh starts, immediate test
Away from the noise, Johnson now walks into a different kind of pressure. Everton, under David Moyes at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, need goals, energy and end product from wide areas. Johnson needs a season that matches his self-belief.
McNeil faces his own reset at Selhurst Park. A change of scenery, a new dressing room, and the chance to prove that the promise he showed at Burnley is still there, waiting to be unlocked in London.
And they won’t have long to show early signs of life.
Everton and Crystal Palace are set to meet on the opening weekend of the new Premier League season. Johnson and McNeil, traded and scrutinised, will line up on opposite sides, staring down their former clubs in an instant reunion that already feels like more than just another fixture.
