David Moyes has insisted Everton were not responsible for the collapse of Dwight McNeil’s proposed move to Crystal Palace, stating the failed deadline-day deal had “nothing to do” with the Merseyside club.
The Everton manager addressed the situation ahead of Saturday’s Premier League trip to Fulham, responding to comments from Palace boss Oliver Glasner and the fallout that followed the breakdown of talks in the final minutes of the January window.
Moyes: Everton ‘did everything required’
McNeil was expected to join Crystal Palace on an initial loan deal, with a £20m permanent move planned for the summer. However, the transfer fell apart late on deadline day, prompting conflicting explanations from both clubs.
Glasner suggested earlier this week that the deal collapsed after terms were altered late in negotiations. Moyes rejected that suggestion firmly.
“I can tell you 100% it was nothing to do with Everton Football Club, that’s for sure,” — David Moyes
The Everton boss stressed that his club had fully cooperated with the process.
“It wasn’t that we didn’t want it to happen. We gave permission for Dwight to go for a medical and do all the things required for it,” — David Moyes
‘Very hard to do much more’
Moyes acknowledged that late-window deals can unravel quickly but maintained Everton had gone as far as they reasonably could.
“It does happen and players have to live with it. It was very hard to do much more than what we have done.”
The breakdown has attracted attention beyond the clubs themselves. McNeil’s partner, Megan Sharpley, posted a lengthy message on social media accusing Palace of “toying” with the player and claimed communication from the London club stopped abruptly. McNeil later shared the post on his own account.
McNeil ‘fine’ after disappointment
Despite the frustration, Moyes said McNeil has handled the situation professionally and remains focused on Everton.
“Dwight’s fine, he’s training as well. He understands exactly where it went wrong and how it broke down, so there are no problems there,” — David Moyes
Glasner, for his part, admitted disappointment at missing out on McNeil and claimed he had already planned to work with the midfielder before the deal collapsed due to late changes and a lack of time.
Key Insights
- Dwight McNeil’s Palace move collapsed late on deadline day
- Moyes insists Everton were not at fault
- Everton allowed McNeil to travel for a medical
- Palace cited late changes to deal terms
- McNeil has returned to training without issue
What’s Next
McNeil is expected to be available for Everton’s upcoming fixtures as Moyes looks to keep momentum in the second half of the season. Any revisit of Palace’s interest is likely to wait until the summer, with both clubs now focused on league priorities.
Was this simply deadline-day chaos, or does the blame lie more heavily on one side of the failed McNeil deal?
0 Comments
First read message
Leave a comment
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *