Everton have signed winger Brennan Johnson from Crystal Palace in a transfer swap deal that sees Dwight McNeil move to Selhurst Park.
Both players have signed four-year deals, with Johnson departing Palace having only signed in January from Tottenham for £35m, but they have landed McNeil, who nearly joined them on Deadline Day in that same window, but the move broke down because paperwork wasn’t submitted in time.
Johnson, 25, becomes the fifth summer signing for David Moyes’ Everton after Merlin Rohl’s loan obligation was activated along with the additions of Hayden Hackney, Tyrique George and Christian Norgaard.
McNeil, 26, joins defenders Oscar Mingueza and Takehiro Tomiyasu in signing for Palace this summer, having sold centre-back Maxence Lacroix to Chelsea.
Johnson: Moyes believes in me
Johnson said: “I’m so excited to be here. The club speaks for itself – it’s a massive club and one that when I first heard of the interest, I immediately wanted to come and be part of it.
“There were a lot of reasons why I was so keen to join – the manager, the players, the direction the team is going in. You can see this is a club that wants to go in the right direction, and I’m a player who wants to go in that direction, too, so it feels like a really good match.
“I want to come in and show what I can do. The manager spoke to me about getting back to the form that I’ve shown previously, and that’s a massive thing for me – the fact he knows and believes in what I can do. For me, listening to him – a manager who is so experienced and someone who has been so successful – it was really nice to hear.
“I want to bring all of my attributes. First and foremost, I’ll work for the team, the fans, and represent the club properly. I know that’s something that’s definitely appreciated and a non-negotiable here. They can expect that from me. On top of that, I think I can bring speed, goals and everything I’ve got.
“The incredible fanbase that Everton has, whether it’s home or away, is something I’ve always felt. It’s a massive honour to be here and play for them now.”
McNeil scored 15 goals and provided 18 assists in 130 appearances for Everton.
He said: “I’m really happy to be here, and looking forward to the challenge ahead.
“The lads have had some great success over the last two seasons. It’s something that I want to be a part of, so I’m really looking forward to getting started.”
More to follow…
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