Everton respond as Crystal Palace submit eleventh-hour Dwight McNeil bid
Everton have rejected Crystal Palace’s first bid to sign winger Dwight McNeil and want around £20million as the transfer deadline rapidly approaches.
McNeil has struggled for game time at Everton this season following the arrival of Jack Grealish on loan from Man City.
The 26-year-old left winger is yet to score in 17 appearances, while he has only been handed seven Premier League starts by David Moyes, so far in 2025-26.
Football Insider revealed in January that Wolves were eyeing a move for McNeil, with Nottingham Forest also known to be interested in his services.
Crystal Palace have now submitted a late bid to sign McNeil, but the Toffees are not willing to do business unless they meet their £20m asking price.
Everton have rejected Palace’s McNeil approach
Everton fans have slammed McNeil’s performances in recent weeks, but he has seen his game time increase since Grealish was ruled out for the rest of the season through injury.
Palace‘s last-gasp approach has come as a surprise so close to the deadline, and club insider El Bobble has reported, via X, that Everton have rejected an initial offer from the Eagles for his services.
They are holding out for a figure closer to £20m, but it remains to be seen whether Palace will choose to match that in the coming hours.
What has Moyes said about McNeil’s future at Everton?
Everton will be reluctant to let any of their first-team stars leave right now, especially wingers, following Grealish’s major injury blow.
Moyes was adamant that McNeil would not be leaving when asked about rumours linking him to Forest in December, as he said: “I don’t know where that’s come from because as the manager of the football club, I’ve not heard any of that.
“There’s no plan for that, no. I don’t want to lose anybody. If we did, then we would probably have to add.”
Whether the Toffees’ stance has changed now that Tyrique George looks set to join from Chelsea is unclear, but Palace will have to up their bid regardless.