Crystal Palace have opted against triggering their £28million option to buy striker Evann Guessand, meaning the 25-year-old is expected to return to Aston Villa for pre-season. Standard Sport understands that Guessand will now compete for minutes under Unai Emery at Villa Park.
Loan Spell at Palace
Guessand joined Crystal Palace on a six-month loan in January after a £30m move from Nice to Aston Villa last summer. He failed to score in 13 Premier League appearances for Villa, leading to his temporary departure. At Palace, he proved useful during their Premier League and Conference League campaigns, but a knee injury disrupted his momentum.
After recovering, Guessand struggled to re-establish himself under manager Oliver Glasner. He made only a 10-minute cameo off the bench in Palace's 1-0 Conference League final victory over Rayo Vallecano.
Decision Made by New Manager
New Crystal Palace manager Pierre Sage has decided against a permanent deal for Guessand, instead identifying other transfer targets. According to Standard Sport, Guessand was open to staying at Palace permanently, but the club chose not to exercise the £28m option.
Return to Aston Villa
Emery previously expressed reluctance to let Guessand leave in January, so his return to Bodymoor Heath is a boost for Villa following the departures of Donyell Malen, Harvey Elliott, and Jadon Sancho. Both clubs have returned to pre-season training, with the new campaign set to begin shortly.
