Brennan Johnson in action for Crystal Palace during pre-season in the summer of 2026.
Brennan Johnson in action for Crystal Palace during pre-season in the summer of 2026.
After 128 appearances in all competitions since joining the Toffees from Burnely in 2022, McNeil is saying goodbye to Merseyside ahead of moving to Selhurst Park.
McNeil almost joined Crystal Palace in the winter transfer window at the start of this year, with the Eagles now renewing their interest and offering Wales international Johnson as a makeweight.
According to ElBobble, Johnson has also completed his medical at Everton as David Moyes closes in on signing a player who's won the Europa League and Conference League in each of his last two seasons with Tottenham and Palace.
But have Everton done one over on their Premier League rivals with this deal?
Even though 25-year-old Johnson joined Crystal Palace in a club-record £35million deal in January, the Eagles are allowing him to join Everton for no more than just McNeil.
Even more extraordinarily, when McNeil almost signed for the South London club in the winter, the Eagles were going to pay only £20m for him.
It means that either Palace see themselves as overpaying on Johnson by around £15m, or McNeil's value has risen.
And that seems unlikely, given the fact he only sarted seven Premier League games for Everton after his move to Palace broke down.
When Johnson will make his Everton debut
With Johnson's medical done, it seems realistic that he could be involved against Newcastle on Wednesday afternoon.
Everton face the Magpies at Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh for their penultimate pre-season friendly.
If the Welshman is unable to play in that game, he could play for the first time as a Toffee on Saturday when Hill Dickinson Stadium plays host the Ligue 1 club Lille.
In a funny twist of fate, Johnson's first competitive appearance for Everton is likely to be against Crystal Palace on 22 August.
McNeil could, likewise, make his Palace debut in that game.