Two Premier League teams are swapping players; has it ever happened before?

Crystal Palace and Everton have agreed a rare straight swap with no money changing hands, ESPN reported Monday. The deal sends Palace winger Brennan Johnson to Everton and brings Dwight McNeil the other way. Both players are expected to complete medicals on Monday and sign four-year contracts with their new clubs. The straight exchange stands out because true player-for-player swaps without additional fees are uncommon at the top level of the Premier League. The article points to recent and earlier examples involving Arsenal, including the high-profile January 2018 trade in which Alexis Sánchez went to Manchester United and Henrikh Mkhitaryan moved to Arsenal, valued to balance the terms. It also references an Arsenal straight swap in 2006 involving José Antonio Reyes and a loan-based deal connected with Julio Baptista.