View: Everton star now surely set for discounted summer exit after deadline day agreement

Dwight McNeil’s future at Everton is looking increasingly bleak.

Everton’s transfer window certainly went down to the wire, with the Toffees sealing a late deal for Tyrique George.

The teenage winger joined from Chelsea on loan until the end of the season, with Everton holding the option to make it a permanent deal in the summer should they choose to.

However, while that was the only incoming on Monday, the Toffees had also sanctioned the exit of McNeil to Crystal Palace.

A fee of £20million was agreed for his sale from the Hill Dickinson Stadium, only for the move to fall through at the very last minute.

Why did Dwight McNeil transfer fall through?

Sunderland were also rumoured to have shown a late interest in McNeil, though those links were quickly played down by sources within the North East.

However, Crystal Palace’s interest was real, and they were prepared to pay the same fee that Everton forked out to bring him to Merseyside from Burnley back in 2022, with the winger having even completed a medical ahead of the switch.

A deal sheet was even submitted for the transfer, but the Eagles pulled out at the last minute after going back on their original agreement.

Crystal Palace wanted to change the move into a loan deal, with an obligation, before the move completely broke down, almost three hours after the initial deadline.

Now, that leaves McNeil in a hard place for the rest of the season, but also the Toffees, who may have to settle for less in just a few months.

• Read more: Everton announce deadline-day exit for Patterson as sporting director speaks out

McNeil’s contract situation could be an issue for Everton

From now until the end of the campaign, McNeil will almost certainly have to settle for a place on the bench.

With George, Iliman Ndiaye and Tyler Dibling all likely to be ahead of him in the pecking order, there is a chance that he doesn’t even make some matchday squads.

The 26-year-old will leave Everton in the summer, you would imagine, but by then he will have just one year left on his contract.

That, added with the reduced gametime he is likely to get between now and then, means that the Toffees are highly unlikely to get the same £20m fee for his exit.

Stay up to date this winter with our Everton transfer tracker. Click to see every done deal at Hill Dickinson, plus expert reaction from our team of writers.

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