Brennan Johnson and Dwight McNeil: A Premier League Swap of Strugglers
Brennan Johnson didn’t just sign for Everton. He walked straight into a storm.
Eight months after Crystal Palace paid a reported £35 million to prise him from Tottenham, the Wales international has completed a four-year move to the Hill Dickinson Stadium in a rare Premier League swap deal. Heading the other way, to Selhurst Park, is Dwight McNeil.
Two wingers. Two stalled seasons. One brutal public verdict.
A Swap of Strugglers
On paper, it’s an intriguing trade. In reality, both arrive with something to prove.
Johnson’s brief spell in south London never ignited. Across 26 appearances in all competitions for Palace, he failed to score once. For a player signed for a club-record fee and billed as a game-changer, the numbers were stark.
McNeil’s story at Everton last season was painfully similar. Once tipped as a rising star at Burnley, the 26-year-old also went goalless, drawing a blank in 25 outings for the Toffees. The promise was still there. The end product wasn’t.
That lack of cutting edge became prime ammunition for two former Premier League players when the swap was announced live on air.
“We’ll Give You Crap, We’ll Give You Crap Back”
Jamie O’Hara didn’t sugar-coat it.
“I like Dwight McNeil,” the former Tottenham midfielder said on talkSPORT. “Brennan Johnson has been a myth for a few seasons. He didn’t do it at Spurs. He hides in games.”
Gabby Agbonlahor, the ex-Aston Villa striker, jumped straight to the numbers. He pointed to their output last season – or rather, the absence of it – and summed up the deal with a mocking shrug: “It’s a bit like ‘you give us him and we’ll give you him!’”
The pair then pushed the gag even further. O’Hara delivered the line that lit up social media: “We’ll give you crap, we’ll give you crap back!”
The clip flew around Instagram. The laughter echoed. The players, for once, didn’t stay silent.
Johnson Bites Back
Johnson needed just eight words to flip the narrative.
Underneath the shared clip, he fired back in the comments: “Won more than both of these put together.”
No emojis. No softening. Just a pointed reminder that medals and moments matter as much as talk-show punchlines.
His response went viral, dragging the debate away from pure stats and into pride, pedigree and what really counts in a career.
O’Hara then moved to clarify his stance on X the following morning, arguing the clip stripped away key context.
“This [is] the [problem] when you only listen to a clip and not full story,” he wrote. He stressed that the conversation was about last season’s “CRAP” numbers, not an outright dismissal of their talent. He called himself “a fan of McNeill” and insisted Johnson “has all the attributes” – while maintaining that the winger “would admit his season was crap.”
The damage, and the motivation, were already done.
Fresh Starts, Thin Patience
Now Johnson walks into David Moyes’ dressing room with a point to prove and critics to quiet. At 25, he should be hitting his prime, not fighting to justify transfer fees and reputations.
Everton will demand more than running and promise. They need goals, assists, and a forward who doesn’t “hide in games.” Johnson’s task is clear: turn the bite he showed on social media into something far more tangible on the pitch.
McNeil faces a similar reckoning in south London. Palace offers him a reset, a new crowd, and a manager who will hope to unlock the left-footer who once looked destined to dominate Premier League flanks. The raw ability has never been in doubt. The final product has.
Both players know this might be the last time they get to be talked about as underachieving talents rather than cautionary tales.
Immediate Reunion on Opening Weekend
There will be no gentle bedding-in period.
Everton and Crystal Palace are set to meet on the opening weekend of the new Premier League season, pitting Johnson against his old club and McNeil against his former teammates almost instantly.
No long build-up. No hiding places.
Two wingers, two fresh starts, one early chance to answer the laughter.
