Crystal Palace co-owner and chairman Steve Parish contacted Dwight McNeil's partner before the midfielder finalized his move to the club on Tuesday.
McNeil, 26, signed a four-year contract with Palace, moving in a deal that saw Brennan Johnson transfer to Everton. The midfielder had nearly joined Palace in the January transfer window on a loan-to-buy agreement that would have become a permanent £20 million move. However, the transfer fell through due to issues with completing the required paperwork, despite McNeil having already passed his medical.
Following the failed January transfer, McNeil's partner, Megan Sharpley, expressed her disappointment on Instagram, highlighting the impact on mental health. She wrote about the experience of having a promised transfer fall apart at the last minute with no explanation, calling it an "emotional rollercoaster" that caused significant hurt.
BBC Sport has confirmed that Parish reached out to Sharpley to address the situation before the current deal was concluded. McNeil joined Everton from Burnley for £20 million in July 2022 and scored 15 goals in 128 appearances for the Toffees.
"The lads have had some great success over the last two seasons. It's something that I want to be a part of, so I'm really looking forward to getting started," McNeil stated, referencing Palace's FA Cup, Community Shield, and UEFA Conference League triumphs in the past two seasons. Parish described McNeil as "a player with proven ability in the Premier League."
Brennan Johnson, who moved to Palace in a £35 million deal in January, struggled to find form, making 26 appearances without scoring. He had previously joined Tottenham Hotspur from Nottingham Forest for over £45 million in 2023 and scored the winning goal in the Europa League final before moving to Palace.