Brennan Johnson Set for Everton Medical in McNeil Swap

Brennan Johnson is set for his Everton medical today as the club close in on a straight swap deal with Crystal Palace that will send Dwight McNeil to Selhurst Park.

The agreement between the clubs is in place, with both players scheduled for medicals that should rubber‑stamp one of the more intriguing trades of the summer window. No fees, no add‑ons, no complicated clauses: just a clean exchange of two wingers whose careers need a fresh jolt.

Palace have chased McNeil for some time. A move in January collapsed on deadline day, but their interest never cooled, and this time they have finally got their man. For Everton, the opportunity to flip McNeil for Johnson – three years younger and with a different, more direct profile – proved too tempting to ignore.

Transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano has stated that “everything is done” between the clubs, leaving only the formalities before Johnson is confirmed as Everton’s fifth signing of the summer.

He will follow Hayden Hackney, Christian Nørgaard, and the permanent arrivals of Merlin Röhl and Tyrique George into a squad being quietly but decisively reshaped.

For Johnson, this is a chance to hit reset.

The Wales international arrived at Crystal Palace in January for around £35m, but the move never truly caught fire. A difficult half-season at Selhurst Park stalled the momentum he had built at Tottenham Hotspur, where his 2024/25 campaign marked him out as one of the Premier League’s most dangerous wide forwards.

Those numbers still carry weight. Across all competitions for Spurs that season, Johnson scored 18 goals in 51 appearances, including 11 in 33 league games. He didn’t just score; he drove games. Per 90 minutes, he ranked second among Premier League wingers for expected goals, non‑penalty expected goals, dribble success rate and duels won. He also sat fifth for goal conversion – elite company in a division stacked with attacking talent.

That is the version of Brennan Johnson Everton believe they are buying into: a winger who runs at defenders, stretches back lines, and finishes moves with conviction.

The move also underlines a clear tactical shift at Goodison Park. With Hackney offering legs and progression in midfield, Nørgaard bringing control and bite, and Röhl and George adding youthful energy, Johnson’s arrival would give Everton a high‑output wide threat in his prime years. McNeil’s industry and delivery will be missed, but the club are banking on Johnson’s explosiveness and statistical profile translating into goals and points.

For Palace, McNeil offers something different: a reliable left‑sided outlet, strong in build‑up, secure in possession, and proven in the Premier League. After the stop‑start Johnson experiment, the Eagles get a player they have long admired and tried to sign before.

All that remains now are the medicals and signatures. If there are no late twists, Everton will unveil a winger who once terrorised defences for Spurs and ranked among the league’s best by the numbers.

The question is simple and sharp: can Brennan Johnson turn those metrics back into match‑winners on Merseyside?