Crystal Palace in Talks to Bring Guessand Back After Letting £28m Deal Lapse
Crystal Palace are in talks to re-sign Evann Guessand on a season-long loan from Aston Villa, three months after allowing a £28 million option to sign him permanently to expire (BBC Sport; The Athletic).
The 25-year-old Ivory Coast forward spent the second half of last season on loan at Selhurst Park, arriving in January after a difficult first half of the campaign at Villa. He had joined Aston Villa from Nice the previous August for around £26 million but managed only two goals in 21 appearances across all competitions (BBC Sport).
At Palace, Guessand found his feet quickly. His debut provided the assist for Ismaïla Sarr's winner in a 1-0 victory away from home, and he later scored a last-minute goal to settle another 1-0 result (Aston Villa; Aston Villa). He finished with two goals in 14 appearances for the Eagles and came on as a substitute in the Conference League final as Palace beat Rayo Vallecano to lift the trophy in May (BBC Sport).
That medal was not his only European honour of the season. Having featured for Aston Villa earlier in the campaign, before his January move south, Guessand also collected a Europa League winner's medal when Villa triumphed in that competition (BBC Sport). Two European trophies in a single season, with two different clubs.
Despite that, Palace let a May 31 deadline pass to sign Guessand outright for £28 million, a decision that followed the departure of manager Oliver Glasner (The Athletic). Guessand returned to Villa's pre-season tour of Indonesia determined to convince Unai Emery he deserved a place in the squad, hoping to play in a more central role (The Athletic). He also made two substitute appearances for the Ivory Coast at this summer's World Cup (BBC Sport).
Now Palace have reignited their interest, making contact with the player's representatives in recent days (The Athletic). Villa, meanwhile, are working to strengthen their own forward line after the departures of Morgan Rogers and Jadon Sancho, with Leon Bailey's future also uncertain amid protracted talks over a move to Hull City (The Athletic).
For Palace fans, the appeal is obvious. Guessand already knows the squad, the system, and the stadium. He produced moments that mattered in a season that ended with silverware. Whether Villa are willing to let him walk back out the door, when their own attacking ranks are thinning, is the question these talks now turn on.
