Dwight McNeil's girlfriend Megan Sharpley accuses Crystal Palace of 'toying' with Everton star's mental health after 'cruel' deadline day transfer collapse

The collapse of the transfer has sparked a furious reaction from McNeil's camp, exposing the chaotic and brutal reality of the transfer window's final hours. It is understood that Palace had agreed a loan deal with an obligation to buy the 26-year-old for £20m, offering him a lucrative contract that would have secured his future until 2030. McNeil, who has become a peripheral figure under David Moyes at Goodison Park, had travelled to London, passed his medical, and made concrete arrangements to relocate his family.

To facilitate the transfer, a deal sheet was allegedly submitted to the Premier League before the 11pm deadline, granting the clubs an additional two hours to finalise the paperwork. It was during this extension window that communication reportedly ceased entirely. Instead of finalising the transfer, Palace reportedly went from "everything to radio silence," leaving the player and his representatives stranded without a phone call or explanation, a move that has raised serious questions about the club's conduct.

In a searing social media post, Sharpley detailed the emotional devastation caused by the club's sudden withdrawal. She criticised the industry for treating players as commodities rather than human beings, arguing that high wages do not justify the psychological toll inflicted by such treatment.

Sharpley wrote: “Tonight, and the last 48 hours, have broken my heart to see how the football world you love so much can be so cruel to you.

“To have something promised to you, to have been dragged along on an emotional roller coaster and to be toyed with until the final minute, to have 4 and a half years of your life promised to you, travelling, medicals, arrangements made, promises made, to have prepared to move your life, our life, 100s of miles away in the space of a few hours.

“For that to be torn away from you at the last second with absolutely no explanation, going from everything to radio silence, no phone call, no communication, and be left brokenhearted with nothing but confusion, has hurt more than I can say.

“We live in a world where everyone is aware of how big a problem mental health is. So, in football, why do we find it acceptable because these young men are on a lot of money and that’s okay to mess and toy with their mental health and that it’s just part of the job? No matter of money, we all deserve to be treated with respect, kindness, and fairly.

“So I really question the industry tonight. I only hope that there’s more done in the future to protect people from situations like what I’ve witnessed tonight. Football is brutal, and yes, it’s the nature of the beast, but messing with human beings’ feelings and emotions shouldn’t be acceptable.

“People only see one side in the media, you don’t see the tears, the emotion and the distress, I have seen tonight.”

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This incident marks the second consecutive transfer window in which a high-profile deal involving Crystal Palace has collapsed in acrimonious circumstances. In September, the Eagles famously reneged on a £35m agreement to sell Marc Guehi to Liverpool. On that occasion, the defender was reportedly in a scanner undergoing his medical when chairman Steve Parish pulled the plug on the agreement. Guehi eventually moved to Manchester City in January for a significantly lower fee of £20m.

For McNeil, the snub is particularly stinging given his situation at Everton. Having fallen down the pecking order, he viewed the move to Selhurst Park as a vital opportunity to restart his career. The 26-year-old must now return to Merseyside and attempt to reintegrate into a squad where he was deemed surplus to requirements just 24 hours ago.

Despite the heartbreak and the professional setback, Sharpley emphasised the couple's resilience and their gratitude towards Everton. The Toffees have reportedly been supportive of the couple, particularly during Sharpley's recent illness, a fact she highlighted as they prepare to return to the north.

“So here’s to carrying on being an Everton player," she concluded.

“The support we’ve had from this club especially during my illness has meant a lot on our journey, so let’s keep grinding, keep working and grafting for this badge. Let’s keep going Dwight, show them who you are. I’m right by your side.”