Crystal Palace in Talks to Reacquire Evann Guessand on Loan

Crystal Palace are in talks to bring Evann Guessand back to Selhurst Park on a season-long loan from Aston Villa, a move that would reunite the forward with the club where his Premier League career finally sparked into life.

The 25-year-old Ivory Coast international arrived in England last summer amid expectation and expense. Villa paid £26m to prise him away, a statement signing for a side intent on climbing into Europe and staying there. What followed never quite matched the billing.

Two goals in 21 appearances across all competitions told its own story. Guessand struggled to impose himself in a Villa side already humming under Unai Emery. Cameos instead of centre stage, flashes instead of a run of form. By January, both player and club needed a reset.

Palace offered it. The move south, initially temporary, gave Guessand what he had been short of: minutes, responsibility, and a defined role. He responded with the moment every forward in a new league craves – his first Premier League goal, a sharp, decisive finish in a 1-0 win over Wolves that underlined his value in tight games.

His contribution extended beyond the domestic grind. Guessand came off the bench in Palace’s Conference League final victory over Rayo Vallecano, part of a squad that wrote a new chapter in the club’s European story. The stage wasn’t his alone, but he was in the thick of it when the medals were handed out.

His season ended with another piece of silverware from a different dressing room. Having appeared earlier in the campaign for Villa in the Europa League, Guessand collected a winner’s medal there too after Emery’s side went on to lift the trophy. It was a curious quirk of modern football: one player, two clubs, two European triumphs in a single season, yet still searching for a permanent home.

On the international front, his profile continued to rise. Guessand made two substitute appearances for Ivory Coast at this summer’s World Cup, edging his way into a competitive national setup and adding major tournament experience to his resume.

When the dust settled, he returned to Villa for pre-season. Palace had declined to trigger an option to buy earlier in the summer, a decision shaped by finances, squad planning, and the usual transfer-market calculations. But football rarely moves in straight lines.

Talks are now under way to take him back to south London on loan, a solution that suits all parties. Villa retain a player whose value could still grow. Palace regain a forward who already understands the rhythm of the club, the demands of the league, and the expectations of a fanbase that saw enough last spring to want more.

Guessand stands at a familiar crossroads: proven impact in flashes, medals in his collection, but still chasing the season that defines him. If the deal goes through, Selhurst Park may yet be the place where potential finally turns into permanence.