Dwight James Matthew McNeil (born 22 November 1999) is an English professional footballer who plays as a winger for Premier League club Everton.
 McNeil playing for Burnley in 2018 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Dwight James Matthew McNeil | ||
| Date of birth | 22 November 1999 | ||
| Place of birth | Rochdale, England | ||
| Height | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)[1] | ||
| Position(s) | Winger | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Everton | ||
| Number | 7 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| –2014 | Manchester United | ||
| 2014–2018 | Burnley | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2018–2022 | Burnley | 134 | (7) |
| 2022– | Everton | 71 | (10) |
| International career | |||
| 2019 | England U20 | 6 | (1) |
| 2019–2021 | England U21 | 10 | (0) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 17:03, 19 May 2024 (UTC) | |||
Early life and club career
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] He is of Jamaican descent.[5] McNeil has two younger siblings, Baillie and Chiara, and he attended the Oasis Academy in Oldham.[6] 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.[7] 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.[7] At age five, he was offered the chance to join the academy at Manchester United, the club he supported as a child.[7] He stayed in the United academy until the age of 14 when he started struggling for game time and was subsequently released.[7]
Within a week of his release, McNeil went on trial at the Burnley Academy.[8] 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.[8] 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.[9] 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.[10] 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.[11] McNeil scored his first goal for the club in a 2–0 home win against West Ham United on 30 December 2018.[12] On 16 October 2020, McNeil signed a new long-term contract at Burnley, keeping him at the club until 2024.[13]
On 28 July 2022, McNeil signed for Premier League club Everton on a five-year contract.[14] Burnley and Everton came to an agreement for a transfer fee reportedly in the region of £20 million, including potential add-ons.[15] On 6 August, McNeil made his debut for the club in a 1–0 loss against Chelsea in the Premier League.[16] On 1 October 2022, McNeil scored his first goal for Everton in a 2–1 away win over Southampton.[17]
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.[18] McNeil made his debut as a starter in a 3–1 defeat to Poland at St George's Park.[19] In May 2019, he was included in the U20 squad for the 2019 Toulon Tournament[20] and scored his first international goal during the 4–0 victory over Guatemala on 11 June 2019.[21]
On 30 August 2019, McNeil was included in the England under-21 team for the first time.[22] He eventually made his debut in a 2–2 draw against Slovenia in Maribor on 11 October.[23]
On 15 March 2021, McNeil was called up for the 2021 UEFA European Under-21 Championship in Slovenia and Hungary.[24][25]
Career statistics
- As of match played 19 May 2024
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | EFL Cup | Europe | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Burnley | 2017–18[26] | Premier League | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | |
| 2018–19[27] | Premier League | 21 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2[a] | 0 | 26 | 3 | |
| 2019–20[28] | Premier League | 38 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 40 | 2 | ||
| 2020–21[29] | Premier League | 36 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 40 | 2 | ||
| 2021–22[30] | Premier League | 38 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 40 | 0 | ||
| Total | 134 | 7 | 5 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 147 | 7 | ||
| Everton | 2022–23[31] | Premier League | 36 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 39 | 7 | |
| 2023–24[32] | Premier League | 35 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | 41 | 3 | ||
| Total | 71 | 10 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 0 | — | 80 | 10 | |||
| Career total | 205 | 17 | 9 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 227 | 17 | ||
Honours
Individual
References
External links
- Profile at the Everton F.C. website
- Dwight McNeil – UEFA competition record (archive)
