Brennan Johnson and Dwight McNeil have completed a rare straight swap between Premier League sides, with Everton signing Johnson from Crystal Palace and McNeil moving in the opposite direction, the clubs said on Tuesday.
Johnson, 25, has signed a four-year contract with Everton, while McNeil, 26, has agreed a deal with Palace until 2030.
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The Wales international joined Palace in January from Tottenham Hotspur and made 26 appearances in all competitions.
“There were a lot of reasons why I was so keen to join – the manager, the players, the direction the team is going in,” Johnson said in a statement on Everton’s website.
McNeil scored 15 goals and provided 19 assists in 128 appearances for Everton following his move from Burnley in 2022.
“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,” McNeil said.
Everton and Palace will meet at Hill Dickinson Stadium on August 22 on the opening weekend of the Premier League season.
Forest bolsters defence with signing of Diomande from Sporting
FILE PHOTO: Sporting CP’s Ousmane Diomande (left) in action with Benfica’s Leandro Barreiro during a league game.
| Photo Credit:
REUTERS
FILE PHOTO: Sporting CP’s Ousmane Diomande (left) in action with Benfica’s Leandro Barreiro during a league game.
| Photo Credit:
REUTERS
Nottingham Forest has signed Ivory Coast centre back Ousmane Diomande from Sporting on a four-year contract, with an option for a further year, the Premier League club said on Tuesday.
The deal to sign the 22-year-old was worth about €40 million ($46.16 million), Sporting said.
Diomande, a product of Danish club Midtjylland’s academy, joined Sporting in 2023 and quickly established himself as a key figure.
He made 132 appearances in all competitions for the Lsbon side, helping them win back-to-back Primeira Liga titles in 2023-24 and 2024-25 plus the 2024-25 Portuguese Cup.
He also represented Ivory Coast at this year’s World Cup, where it was eliminated by Norway in the round of 32.
Published on Aug 11, 2026