It could have been one of the highlights of an otherwiise largely disappointing transfer window… but in the end it was just too good to be true: Dwight McNeil is not moving to Crystal Palace for £20M.
McNeil was due to make the switch from Merseyside to south London on loan for the remainder of the season with an obligation to buy for £20M in the summer and become Palace’s second signing of transfer Deadline Day.
However, it is understood that the paperwork was not submitted in time to ensure the deal got over the line, and therefore McNeil will remain with Everton for the remainder of the season.
While it initially looked like a standard case of missed deadlines, several interconnected factors led to the breakdown of the £20M deal.
The primary catalyst for the U-turn appears to have been a failed move for Crystal Palace striker Jean-Philippe Mateta, who was set for a £30M transfer to AC Milan, but he reportedly failed his medical at the last minute. Because Crystal Palace didn’t secure that incoming fee, they attempted to renegotiate McNeil’s terms from a permanent sale to a loan with an obligation to buy, which slowed the process significantly.
Despite a deal sheet being submitted to the Premier League — which granted an additional 2 hours past the 7 pm deadline — the final documentation was never submitted, despite Everton believing they had completed all necessary paperwork on their end
Reports suggest Palace simply “pulled the plug” or failed to submit the final forms, but failed to inform Everton or the player himself, according to his partner, Megan Sharpley, who took to social media to convey her outrage at the deal not going through.
However, Sky Sports later reported that Palace were sympathetic to McNeil’s plight and that time simply ran out in trying to get the deal over the line.
Negotiations ran late in the day and Palace had started with the hope that the fee would be £10M. Yet it soon became apparent with add-ons that Everton wanted £20M.
An agreement in principle was reached at 6:15 pm, 45 minutes before the deadline, but the payment terms were still being finalised and formalisation was subject to legal checks. In the end, time ran out, with Everton insiders insisting Palace pulled out.
Talksport claims that Palace had a genuine intent to try and get the transfer over the line and that Mateta staying at Selhurst Park had no bearing on the decision not to proceed.