The Welsh international played 26 matches in various competitions for Crystal Palace, before his experience with the London club ended only about 7 months after joining. Palace signed Johnson in January in a club record deal from Tottenham.
In the opposite direction, McNeil, 26 years old, moved to Crystal Palace with a contract extending until 2030, thus ending his career with Everton, which began in 2022.
McNeil scored 15 goals and made 19 assists during the 128 matches he played with Everton in various competitions, according to Reuters.
The deal acquires a remarkable character because it is a direct exchange between two clubs in the English Premier League, which is a less common model in the modern transfer market, which mostly relies on separate financial deals.
The deal also carries a special paradox for McNeil, as he was close to moving to Crystal Palace last February, before the deal collapsed in the final hours of the winter transfer market.
The BBC reported at the time that McNeil had passed the medical examination, while the agreement included his transfer from Everton to Palace on loan with an obligation to buy him for 20 million pounds sterling, but the deal was not completed due to the required procedures not being completed on time.
After about 6 months, Crystal Palace returned to include the player, but this time in a direct exchange deal that sent Johnson in the opposite direction to Everton.
The English Premier League calendar adds another paradox to the deal, as the two players will not wait long to face their former teams, after the opening round brought Everton and Crystal Palace face to face on August 22 at Hill Dickinson Stadium.
