Crystal Palace set to part ways with Brennan Johnson after £35M transfer

Crystal Palace is cutting its losses on Brennan Johnson barely seven months after making the Welsh winger the most expensive signing in the club’s history. The £35 million acquisition from Tottenham Hotspur in January 2026 produced exactly zero Premier League goals across 18 appearances.

Palace is now in advanced negotiations with Everton over a swap deal that would send Johnson to Goodison Park in exchange for winger Dwight McNeil. Medical tests for the proposed swap are expected around August 11, 2026.

A record fee, a record disappointment

When Palace signed Johnson on January 2, 2026, the club shattered its previous transfer record, which had stood since the Christian Benteke deal back in 2016, to bring in a player who had been valued at £47.5 million when Tottenham bought him from Nottingham Forest in 2023.

Johnson’s debut came on January 4, 2026, just two days after the transfer was completed. Palace lost 2-0 to Newcastle United. Across 18 league appearances stretching into August 2026, Johnson managed a single assist and no goals.

The McNeil swap and what it signals

Rather than trying to recoup a fee on the open market, Palace has opted for a player exchange. A straight swap allows both clubs to assign valuations that keep their respective accountants from having nightmares.

For Everton, acquiring Johnson is a bet on a player who is still in his mid-twenties, holds 47 caps for Wales, and commanded a £47.5 million fee from Tottenham in 2023.

What this means for Palace’s transfer strategy

The question now is whether McNeil can provide the wing production Palace thought it was buying in January. McNeil is a creator rather than a prolific scorer, with Premier League experience across multiple seasons at Burnley and Everton.

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