Brennan Johnson vs Dwight McNeil: What Everton actually gain — and lose — in the swap

Dwight McNeil gave Everton four years of graft. Not always the end product — 15 goals and 18 assists in 130 games isn’t a spectacular return — but he covered every blade of grass and Evertonians (generally) loved him for it.

Maybe the sort of player you miss more once he’s gone? We’ll soon find out.

Johnson is a different beast entirely. His 2024/25 season at Spurs was one of the best individual campaigns by a Premier League winger outside the elite — 18 goals in 51 appearances, and the underlying numbers back it up: second among Premier League wide players for expected goals, dribbling success and duels won.

Then he joined Palace in January and barely got started.

So Moyes isn’t swapping like for like. He’s swapping certainty for someone with a higher ceiling. I think.

McNeil was a known quantity — you knew roughly what you were getting every week. Johnson has shown he can be genuinely excellent, but he’s also shown he can go quiet for months at a time.

The one clear gain: Johnson can also play through the middle, or just off a main striker. If Beto or Barry pick up a knock, or, more likely, stop scoring, Johnson may offer an alternative route through the middle that the squad didn’t have last season.

Whether that’s worth losing McNeil’s legs and reliability is the trade Everton have made. It feels like as Everton slight win.

Johnson’s the fifth arrival of the summer, alongside Hayden Hackney, Christian Norgaard, Merlin Röhl and Tyrique George — both he and McNeil have signed four-year deals at their new clubs.

Welcome aboard, Brennan.