Crystal Palace co-owner and chairman Steve Parish contacted Dwight McNeil's partner before the midfielder's move to the club on Tuesday. McNeil has signed a four-year contract in a swap deal that involved Brennan Johnson moving to Everton.

McNeil, 26, nearly moved to Selhurst Park in January when a loan-to-buy deal, which would have turned into a £20m permanent move, fell through due to incomplete paperwork. Following the collapse, McNeil's partner Megan Sharpley was critical of Palace, questioning why it is acceptable to "mess and toy with" players' mental health.

BBC Sport understands that Parish reached out to smooth things over before this week's deal was completed. McNeil joined Everton from Burnley in 2022 and scored 15 goals in 128 games. Parish described McNeil as "a player with proven ability in the Premier League."

Brennan Johnson signed for Palace in a £35m deal in January but struggled to find form, making 26 appearances without scoring before his move to Everton.