Dwight McNeil

Dwight McNeil
McNeil playing for Burnley in 2018
Personal information
Full name Dwight James Matthew McNeil
Date of birth (1999-11-22) 22 November 1999
Place of birth Rochdale, England
Height 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)[1]
Positions
Team information
Current team
 Crystal Palace
Number 11
Youth career
–2014 Manchester United
2014–2018 Burnley
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2018–2022 Burnley 134 (7)
2022–2026 Everton 114 (14)
2026– Crystal Palace 1 (0)
International career
2019 England U20 6 (1)
2019–2021 England U21 10 (0)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 17:02, 22 August 2026 (UTC)

Dwight James Matthew McNeil (born 22 November 1999) is an English professional footballer who plays as a winger or attacking midfielder for Premier League club Crystal Palace.

Early life

Dwight McNeil
McNeil (left) playing for Burnley in 2018

Dwight James Matthew McNeil[2] was born on 22 November 1999[3] in Rochdale, Greater Manchester, to parents Tracy and Matty McNeil, who is a former professional footballer.[4] McNeil has two younger siblings, Baillie and Chiara, and he attended the Oasis Academy in Oldham.[5] He regularly watched his father play in non-League football for Hyde United and first started playing football at the JJB Sports centre in Trafford.[6] It was there that scouts from Bolton Wanderers pursued him for a trial, but after initial rejections from his parents, Bolton eventually got their way and he started training with them.[6]

Club career

Early career

At age five, he was offered the chance to join the academy at Manchester United, the club he supported as a child.[6] He stayed in the United academy until the age of 14 when he started struggling for game time and was subsequently released.[6]

Within a week of his release, McNeil went on trial at Burnley's Academy.[7] In July 2016, he was rewarded with a two-year scholarship and was a regular member of the under-18 squad and occasionally played for the Development Squad.[7] In February 2018, he travelled with the first-team squad for the Premier League match against Swansea City but failed to make the match-day squad.[8] On 10 April 2018, following the end of his scholarship, he signed a professional two-year contract with Burnley with the option of a third year in the club's favour.[9] On 13 May 2018, he made his first-team debut in the final match of the 2017–18 season when he replaced Aaron Lennon as a late substitute in the 2–1 home defeat to AFC Bournemouth.[10] McNeil scored his first goal for the club in a 2–0 home win against West Ham United on 30 December 2018.[11] On 16 October 2020, McNeil signed a new long-term contract, keeping him at the club until 2024.[12]

Everton

On 28 July 2022, McNeil signed for Premier League club Everton on a five-year contract.[13] Burnley and Everton came to an agreement for a transfer fee reportedly in the region of £20 million, including potential add-ons.[14] On 6 August, McNeil made his debut for the club in a 1–0 loss against Chelsea in the Premier League.[15] On 1 October 2022, McNeil scored his first goal for Everton in a 2–1 away win over Southampton.[16] On 28 September 2024, McNeil scored a brace against Crystal Palace, helping Everton defeat Crystal Palace 2–1 to get the club's first win of the season.[17] McNeil was set to make a loan move to Crystal Palace with an agreed £20 million transfer obligation on 1 February 2026; however, the deal collapsed as paperwork was not finalised before the transfer deadline.[18] McNeil's partner later took to social media to criticise Crystal Palace and the effect that the failed transfer had on McNeil's mental health.[19]

Crystal Palace

On 11 August 2026, McNeil joined Crystal Palace on a four-year contract. The deal included Brennan Johnson joining Everton as part of a swap deal.[20]

International career

In March 2019, McNeil received his first call-up for the England national under-20 team ahead of 2018–19 Under 20 Elite League fixtures against Poland and Portugal.[21] McNeil made his debut as a starter in a 3–1 defeat to Poland at St George's Park.[22] In May 2019, he was included in the U20 squad for the 2019 Toulon Tournament[23] and scored his first international goal during the 4–0 victory over Guatemala on 11 June 2019.[24]

On 30 August 2019, McNeil was included in the England under-21 team for the first time.[25] He eventually made his debut in a 2–2 draw against Slovenia in Maribor on 11 October.[26]

On 15 March 2021, McNeil was called up for the 2021 UEFA European Under-21 Championship in Slovenia and Hungary.[27][28]

Personal life

He is of Jamaican descent.[29]

Career statistics

As of match played 22 August 2026
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League FA Cup EFL Cup Europe Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Burnley 2017–18[30] Premier League 100000—10
2018–19[31] Premier League 21320102[a]0263
2019–20[32] Premier League 3821010—402
2020–21[33] Premier League 3622020—402
2021–22[34] Premier League 3800020—400
Total 13475060201477
Everton 2022–23[35] Premier League 3671020—397
2023–24[36] Premier League 3533030—413
2024–25[37] Premier League 2140021—235
2025–26[38] Premier League 2201020—250
Total 114145091—12815
Crystal Palace 2026–27 Premier League 1000000010
Career total 249211001512027622
  1. ↑ Appearances in UEFA Europa League

Honours

Individual

References

  1. ↑ "Dwight McNeil: Overview". Premier League. Retrieved 10 August 2019.
  2. ↑ "Premier League clubs publish retained lists". Premier League. 7 June 2019. Retrieved 7 June 2019.
  3. ↑ "Dwight McNeil". 11v11.com. AFS Enterprises. Retrieved 16 May 2018.
  4. ↑ "Dream Day For Goalscorer McNeil". Burnley F.C. 31 December 2018. Archived from the original on 6 August 2020. Retrieved 7 January 2019.
  5. ↑ Black, Dan (22 April 2020). "The story of Burnley winger Dwight McNeil: Growing up as a footballer's son, his home life and the reason why he's so good on FIFA 20!". Burnley Express. Retrieved 17 April 2021.
  6. 1 2 3 4 Marshall, Tyrone (20 January 2020). "Dwight McNeil exclusive: Burnley winger on Manchester United release, Brandon Williams and Mason Greenwood". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 17 April 2021.
  7. 1 2 "Burnley profile". Burnley F.C. Archived from the original on 17 May 2018. Retrieved 16 May 2018.
  8. ↑ Marshall, Tyrone (21 February 2018). "Clarets youngster McNeil wants more after first team taster". Lancashire Telegraph. Retrieved 16 May 2018.
  9. ↑ Marshall, Tyrone (10 April 2018). "Burnley prospects sign professional deals". Lancashire Telegraph. Retrieved 16 May 2018.
  10. ↑ "Burnley 1 Bournemouth 2". Burnley F.C. 13 May 2018. Retrieved 30 January 2024.
  11. ↑ "Burnley manager Sean Dyche says a couple of "big decisions" in his team selection contributed to a vital win over West Ham at Turf Moor". BBC Sport.
  12. ↑ "McNeil Signs New Turf Moor Deal".
  13. ↑ "Everton complete McNeil signing". Everton FC. 28 July 2022. Retrieved 28 July 2022.
  14. ↑ Ornstein, David; Jones, Andy (27 July 2022). "Everton reach total agreement with Burnley for Dwight McNeil". The Athletic. Retrieved 28 July 2022.
  15. ↑ "Everton 0–1 Chelsea". Sky Sports. 6 August 2022. Retrieved 6 August 2022.
  16. ↑ "Southampton 1–2 Everton". BBC Sport. 1 October 2022.
  17. ↑ Hunter, Andy. "McNeil's stunning double earns Everton first win of season against Crystal Palace". The Observer.
  18. ↑ "Dwight McNeil partner criticises Crystal Palace over mental health". BBC Sport. 3 February 2026. Retrieved 3 February 2026.
  19. ↑ "Dwight McNeil: Everton winger's partner criticises Crystal Palace after failed move". BBC Sport. 3 February 2026.
  20. ↑ "Dwight McNeil joins Crystal Palace". Crystal Palace F.C. 11 August 2026. Retrieved 11 August 2026.
  21. ↑ "Paul Simpson Has Picked His England U20s Squad For Games With Poland and Portugal". The Football Association. 14 March 2019. Retrieved 14 March 2019.
  22. ↑ "Paul Simpson's Young Lions Suffer Defeat Against Poland at St. George's Park". The Football Association. 21 March 2019. Retrieved 22 March 2019.
  23. ↑ "ENGLAND MU20S SQUAD NAMED BY PAUL SIMPSON FOR MAURICE REVELLO TOURNAMENT IN FRANCE". The Football Association. Retrieved 1 June 2019.
  24. ↑ "YOUNG LIONS END MAURICE REVELLO TOURNAMENT WITH A CONVINCING WIN OVER GUATEMALA". The Football Association. 11 June 2019. Retrieved 11 June 2019.
  25. ↑ "ENGLAND U21S KICK-OFF A NEW CAMPAIGN AND AIDY BOOTHROYD HAS PICKED HIS SQUAD". The Football Association. 30 August 2019. Retrieved 30 August 2019.
  26. ↑ "GOALS FROM EDDIE NKETIAH AND SAM SURRIDGE CANCELLED OUT AS YOUNG LIONS TIE IN MARIBOR". The Football Association. 11 October 2019. Retrieved 12 October 2019.
  27. ↑ "England MU21 squad named for UEFA U21 Euro Group Stages un Slovenia". The Football Association. 15 March 2021. Retrieved 15 March 2021.
  28. ↑ "McNeil Gets Euros Call". Burnley F.C. 15 March 2021. Retrieved 30 January 2024.
  29. ↑ Stead, Matt (14 March 2024). "The multinational players eligible for England and other countries includes Mainoo". Football365. Retrieved 8 July 2024.
  30. ↑ "Games played by Dwight McNeil in 2017/2018". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 20 May 2021.
  31. ↑ "Games played by Dwight McNeil in 2018/2019". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 21 April 2024.
  32. ↑ "Games played by Dwight McNeil in 2019/2020". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 20 May 2021.
  33. ↑ "Games played by Dwight McNeil in 2020/2021". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 17 September 2023.
  34. ↑ "Games played by Dwight McNeil in 2021/2022". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 17 September 2023.
  35. ↑ "Games played by Dwight McNeil in 2022/2023". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 17 September 2023.
  36. ↑ "Games played by Dwight McNeil in 2023/2024". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 21 April 2024.
  37. ↑ "Games played by Dwight McNeil in 2024/2025". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 14 September 2024.
  38. ↑ "Games played by Dwight McNeil in 2025/2026". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 6 December 2025.
  39. ↑ @BurnleyOfficial (7 May 2018). "This season's youth team player of the year, sponsored by @Blisscharity is Dwight McNeil. 👏🏻🏆" (Tweet). Retrieved 30 January 2024 – via Twitter.
  40. ↑ "Everton Award Winners Revealed". Everton F.C. 2 June 2023. Retrieved 30 January 2024.
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