Keith Wyness: Crystal Palace ‘let the clock run out on purpose’ in Dwight McNeil deal
Jean-Philippe Mateta’s failed move to AC Milan was the reason behind Crystal Palace not pushing through a deal for Dwight McNeil.
That is according to ex-Everton, Aston Villa, and Aberdeen chief executive Keith Wyness, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, who believes the situation is “part and parcel of the game.”
Crystal Palace had agreed a £20million deal with Everton for McNeil, but it collapsed after the Eagles did not submit required documents on time.
It came after AC Milan pulled out of a £30m move for Mateta earlier on deadline day, due to the striker’s ongoing knee issues.
Expert not ‘surprised’ by Dwight McNeil saga
Everton’s former chief Keith Wyness – who served as CEO at Goodison Park between 2004 and 2009 and now runs a football consultancy advising elite clubs – thinks Crystal Palace let the “clock run out on purpose.”
Speaking on the new edition of Football Insider‘s Inside Track podcast, Wyness believes Mateta would have had to have joined AC Milan for McNeil to have completed his move to Selhurst Park.
He told Football Insider‘s Inside Track podcast: “Look, of course, you get yourself mentally used to it. Look, I’ve been in many, many different, as I say, the end of transfer windows and many deals have not happened.
“I’m afraid it’s part and parcel of the game and it is just a fact of life in football that sometimes things happen at the very last minute. It seems to me that Palace let this one run at the clock run out on purpose.
“I think the Mateta thing obviously affected them in terms of the way they were getting their money in, and I think they just decided that that wasn’t going to happen in terms of the price for Dwight McNeil. So I can’t say I’m really surprised when the Mateta thing happened and then the McNeil thing came out later.
“I was very surprised about it being announced. But in the end, I’m not surprised that it actually fell through. These things, as I say, these things happen.”
McNeil expected to leave Everton in summer window
Everton will be open to offers for McNeil in the summer transfer window, as David Moyes had agreed to let the 26-year-old leave the club.
The loan capture of Tyrique George from Chelsea has pushed McNeil further down the pecking order for the remainder of the season.
McNeil was an unused substitute for Everton at Brighton last time out, and the winger has only started seven Premier League games all season.