Former Lincoln City loanee Brennan Johnson looks set for another Premier League move after Everton and Crystal Palace agreed a swap deal involving the Wales international and Dwight McNeil.
According to the BBC, Johnson is expected to move to Everton, with McNeil heading in the opposite direction to Selhurst Park. Both players are due to undergo medicals on Monday and are expected to sign initial four-year contracts with their new clubs.
It would bring Johnson’s stay at Palace to an end only seven months after he joined them from Tottenham Hotspur in a £35 million deal. His spell in south London has not really caught fire in front of goal, with the 25-year-old failing to score in 26 appearances in all competitions, including 13 Premier League starts, although he did end the campaign with another European honour to his name as Palace won the Conference League.
Johnson’s career will always be followed a little more closely by us because of that remarkable season he spent at Sincil Bank. When City secured him on loan from Nottingham Forest in September 2020, it felt like a coup at the time, but I don’t think any of us fully appreciated just how significant that signing would eventually prove to be.
Johnson was only 19 when he arrived and had very little first-team football behind him, but he quickly became a central figure in Michael Appleton’s youthful side. His pace and willingness to run directly at defenders gave us a completely different dimension, whether he was operating from a wide position or driving through the middle, and opposition back lines struggled to deal with him throughout the campaign.
His first City goal came against Plymouth Argyle, but his influence extended far beyond his goalscoring record. He carried the ball into dangerous areas, drew fouls and penalties, linked effectively with players such as Jorge Grant and Tom Hopper and, as the season progressed, looked increasingly like a player destined to operate well above League One.
Perhaps the most memorable afternoon of his loan spell came against MK Dons in April 2021, when he scored a hat-trick in just 11 minutes. That performance showcased exactly what made him so exciting at the time, with his speed, composure and ability to attack space all on display in a devastating burst.
Johnson also played an important role in our run to the play-off final, scoring against Sunderland in the semi-finals as City booked a place at Wembley. He finished his season at Sincil Bank with 49 appearances and 13 goals in all competitions, including 10 in League One, and remains one of the most talented loan players we have seen in recent years.
His career accelerated rapidly after returning to Nottingham Forest. Johnson became one of their most important players during their promotion-winning 2021/22 campaign, winning the Championship Young Player of the Season award before establishing himself in the Premier League. Tottenham then paid a reported £47.5 million to take him to North London in 2023.
His time with Spurs also produced arguably the defining moment of his career so far. Johnson scored the winning goal in the 2025 Europa League final against Manchester United, securing Tottenham’s first major trophy since 2008, before moving to Palace in January 2026 for £35 million.
Palace then added another European trophy to his CV last season by winning the Conference League. Although Johnson struggled for goals during his short spell at Selhurst Park, the wider trajectory of his career remains extraordinary when viewed from a City perspective.
Everton now appear ready to become the next stop. Johnson is still only 25, but already has a Championship promotion, two European trophies, significant Premier League experience and more than 40 caps for Wales behind him.
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