Brennan Johnson Joins Everton in Straight Swap with Crystal Palace
Brennan Johnson is set to swap south London for Merseyside today, with the winger due to undergo a medical at Everton after a straight swap deal was agreed with Crystal Palace involving Dwight McNeil.
The move, described as a like-for-like exchange with no fee attached, ends Palace’s long pursuit of McNeil and hands Everton a forward who, not long ago, looked one of the most dangerous wide players in the Premier League.
A rare straight swap
Straight swaps at this level are unusual. This one has been months in the making.
Palace’s interest in McNeil stretches back to January, when a proposed move to Selhurst Park collapsed on deadline day. The Eagles never dropped the idea, and when Everton opened the door to talks this summer, the solution quickly became clear: McNeil to Palace, Johnson to Goodison.
Transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano has stated that “everything is done” between the clubs, with both players scheduled for medicals today. Once those are completed and paperwork is finalised, the deal will be confirmed.
Everton’s fifth piece of summer business
Johnson is poised to become Everton’s fifth signing of the window, a window that has quietly reshaped Sean Dyche’s squad.
Hayden Hackney and Christian Nørgaard have already arrived to reinforce midfield, while Merlin Röhl and Tyrique George have joined on permanent deals. Johnson, at 25, fits the same profile: Premier League ready, but with room to grow and, crucially, to be sold on at value.
For Everton, this is not just about numbers. It is about goals.
Chasing the Tottenham version of Johnson
Everton are gambling that the Crystal Palace version of Brennan Johnson is an anomaly — and that the Tottenham version can be revived.
Johnson joined Palace in January for around £35m but never truly caught fire in a difficult half-season. The flashes were there, the end product wasn’t. A reset now comes on Merseyside.
Rewind to the 2024/25 campaign at Tottenham Hotspur and the picture looks very different. Johnson hit 18 goals in 51 appearances in all competitions, including 11 in 33 league games. Those are not just respectable numbers for a wide forward; they are the numbers of a player carrying genuine attacking threat across an entire season.
The underlying data backed that up. Per 90 minutes, the Wales international ranked second among Premier League wingers for expected goals and non-penalty expected goals, as well as for dribble success percentage and duels won percentage. He also sat fifth for goal conversion.
In simple terms: he got into the right areas, beat his man, won his battles, and finished at a high rate. Everton have been short of that kind of profile for too long.
A fresh start for two wingers
For Johnson, Goodison Park offers a chance to restart a stalling narrative. For McNeil, Palace represents a fresh platform after his own Everton chapter reached a natural crossroads.
Palace finally land the wide left-footed creator they have chased across two windows. Everton, in turn, take on a direct, pacey winger whose best football has come when given responsibility and space to attack.
Once the medicals are signed off and the shirts are held aloft, the numbers will no longer matter. The question will be simple: can Brennan Johnson become the Tottenham player again, this time in royal blue, and change the direction of Everton’s season?
