Dwight McNeil

Dwight James Matthew McNeil (born 22 November 1999) is an English professional footballer who plays as a winger for club Everton.

Early life and club career


Dwight James Matthew McNeil was born on 22 November 1999 in Rochdale, Greater Manchester, to parents Tracy and Matty McNeil, who is a former professional footballer. He is of Jamaican descent. McNeil has two younger siblings, Baillie and Chiara, and he attended the Oasis Academy in Oldham. 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. 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. At age five, he was offered the chance to join the academy at Manchester United, the club he supported as a child. He stayed in the United academy until the age of 14 when he started struggling for game time and was subsequently released.

Within a week of his release, McNeil went on trial at the Burnley Academy. 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. 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. On 10 April 2018, following the end of his scholarship, he signed a professional two-year contract with the option of a third year in the club's favour. 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. McNeil scored his first goal for the club in a 2–0 home win against West Ham United on 30 December 2018. On 16 October 2020, McNeil signed a new long-term contract at Burnley, keeping him at the club until 2024.

On 28 July 2022, McNeil signed for Premier League club Everton on a five-year contract. Burnley and Everton came to an agreement for a transfer fee reportedly in the region of £20 million, including potential add-ons. On 6 August, McNeil made his debut for the club in a 1–0 loss against Chelsea in the Premier League. On 1 October 2022, McNeil scored his first goal for Everton in a 2–1 away win over Southampton.

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. McNeil made his debut as a starter in a 3–1 defeat to Poland at St George's Park. In May 2019, he was included in the U20 squad for the 2019 Toulon Tournament and scored his first international goal during the 4–0 victory over Guatemala on 11 June 2019.

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

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

Honours
Individual
 * Burnley Youth Team Player of the Year: 2017–18
 * Everton Young Player of the Season: 2022–23