Everton ‘join’ Crystal Palace in transfer pursuit of relegated attacker

Crystal Palace are said to have held a strong interest in Burnley’s Dwight McNeil in recent weeks, however The Telegraph have reported that Everton are now also in talks with the winger over a potential deal.

It was only last week that the Eagles were reported to be in negotiations with the relegated winger but will now face stiff competition in their pursuit, with West Ham also previously linked.

Patrick Vieira relied on the likes of Wilfred Zaha and Conor Gallagher for goals last season, however the latter’s return to Chelsea means they now need to bolster their attack once again.

While McNeil impressed when he broke onto the scene with the Clarets during the 2018-19 season, he struggled to make an impact as they were relegated and failed to score a single goal.

While Everton are eagerly looking to snap up McNeil before the Premier League returns, Crystal Palace and West Ham could be a much more appealing prospect given their success last season.

The Toffees only narrowly avoided the drop last time out and the 22-year-old will certainly want to keep clear of another terrible season, however the Rochdale-born attacker could also be tempted to remain up north at Goodison Park.

McNeil still has two years remaining on his contract so Burnley are in a strong position to demand a decent fee for him, while they have already added Scott Twine to the team which could tempt them into selling the England youth international.