David Ornstein has shared his concerns with Crystal Palace over the potential signing of Everton winger Dwight McNeil after the two clubs reached a last-minute deal.
Palace agreed a dramatic last-minute deal to sign McNeil for around £20m, sparking a huge reaction from Eagles supporters in a surprising deadline day twist.
Palace have belatedly reached a dramatic deal with Everton for the 26-year-old, who is currently undergoing a medical ahead of his move to Selhurst Park.
It is a desperate race against time to get all the paperwork completed by tonight’s final deadline, with Palace submitting a contract to get an extra two hours until 9pm.
This move was completely sudden.
McNeil has been linked with Nottingham Forest, with former Everton manager Sean Dyche also keen to reunite with his former player.
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An offer has been made.
But Palace swooped in in the 11th hour after Everton agreed to sign Chelsea youngster Tyrik George on loan with an option to buy, opening the door for McNeil to leave.
The former Burnley winger has struggled significantly for minutes under manager David Moyes this season, starting just seven of 18 Premier League games in all competitions.
He has recorded just one assist in that stretch, dropping far down the pecking order at Hill-Dickinson Stadium.
Palace did not prioritize wide players today after signing Wolves striker Jorgen Strand Larsen in a deal that could reach a club record £48m. Jean-Philippe Mateta’s contract has been confirmed despite him missing a medical at AC Milan due to knee concerns.
However, journalist Alex Crook revealed that Palace had handed in a contract for McNeil, giving them vital extra time to make the move happen after the deadline.
David Ornstein shares McNeil’s concerns about Crystal Palace
However, although Palace and Everton have reached an agreement, Ornstein suggested on X that there is no guarantee the move will happen given the late arrival.
Even if a contract is submitted, it will not be signed yet as Oliver Glasner has just an hour to finalize all the paperwork and documents.
The potential deal has left Palace fans completely furious on social media.
Football Insider reported that supporters have called the operation “disgusting”, “embarrassing” and “a disaster”, with many calling for sporting director Matt Hobbs to be sacked immediately.
Fans believe they spent £20 million on a winger they didn’t need, despite sitting just five points above the relegation zone, and this represents a shocking plan.
One supporter wrote: “This football club is terrible”, while another claimed: “It was fun while the Prem was on”.
Having already brought in Brennan Johnson from Tottenham, Evan Gesand on loan from Villa and Strand Larsen, McNeil’s deadline-day move will take Palace’s total spending this month to nearly £100m.
Crystal Palace hold contract talks for striker better than Strand Larsen
This incredible forward would be an even better signing for Crystal Palace than Strand Larsen.
