Crystal Palace co-owner and chairman Steve Parish has reached out to Dwight McNeil's partner, Megan Sharpley, ahead of the Everton winger's move to the club, according to The Times.
McNeil and Crystal Palace's Brennan Johnson have been given permission to undergo medicals ahead of their respective swap deals. Both players had medicals on Monday, with four-year contracts prepared for each of them.
This is not the first time McNeil was primed for a move to Palace. He nearly joined the club on deadline day in January.
The 26-year-old had been widely expected to complete a move to the south London club after undergoing a medical ahead of a loan deal with a £20million obligation to buy. Palace had submitted a deal sheet for the transfer, but they then failed to complete the relevant paperwork in time. Everton sources said they fulfilled their part of the process, but Palace went quiet on finalising the paperwork, effectively pulling out, and the transfer ran out of time.
Sharpley's Instagram statement
Sharpley took to Instagram in a lengthy series of stories to hit out at what had happened, including accusing Palace of messing with McNeil's mental health. She described the "cruelty" of the football world, saying McNeil had been "toyed with until the final minute" and left "broken hearted with nothing but confusion."
"To have something promised to you, to have been dragged along on an emotional rollercoaster, and to be toyed with until the final minute," Sharpley wrote. "To have 4-and-a-half-years of your life promised to you, traveling, medicals, agreements made... promises made. To have prepared to move your entire life, our life 100 of miles away in the space of a few hours. For it to be torn away from you at the last second, with absolutely no explanation. Going from everything - to radio silence, no phone call, no communication."
She also questioned how football treats young players' mental health. "So in football, why do we find it acceptable because these young men are on a lot of money, that it's okay to mess and toy with their mental health and that's just 'part of the job'?" Sharpley wrote. "Football is brutal and yes, it's the nature of the beast, but messing with human beings feelings and emotions shouldn't be acceptable."
Parish smooths things over
Now, according to The Times, Parish has reached out to Sharpley to smooth things over so the transfer can move ahead.
In her original statement, Sharpley also praised Everton for its support during her own illness. "So here's to carrying on being an Everton player," she wrote. "The support we've had from this club, especially during my illness, has meant a lot on our journey, so let's keep grinding, keep working and grafting for this badge. Let's keep going Dwight, show them who you are. I'm right by your side."
Sharpley's post referenced her own illness. She was diagnosed with a large, serious tumour on her ovary and was forced to undergo urgent open surgery in December 2023. McNeil was praised at the time for his unwavering support.
McNeil responds
McNeil, who has played 128 times for Everton since joining from Burnley in 2022, also weighed in on the situation regarding his failed move.
Sharing the final story from his partner, McNeil wrote: "Whilst even now I'm still left in the dark. What I do know, and have been supported with, I am an Everton player. I will use this as motivation. I love you moo, I couldn't thank you enough for all of your love and support."
