Evann Guessand returns to Crystal Palace for second loan spell from Aston Villa
London, Aug 12
South London club Crystal Palace has announced the return of Evann Guessand on a season-long loan from Aston Villa, with an option to buy.
The Ivory Coast player, who featured twice in the FIFA World Cup 2026 for his country, spent the second half of last season on loan at Palace and played 14 times, scoring twice.
One of those efforts came during the Eagles' victorious UEFA Conference League campaign, with Guessand later appearing in the final win over Rayo Vallecano in Leipzig.
The forward, who grew up in Marseille, had spells with Lausanne-Sport and Nantes before breaking through with Nice in 2024/25, scoring 12 times and winning the club's Player of the Season award.
After half a season with Villa, Guessand then moved to Selhurst Park on loan, where he became the first player to win two different European trophies in the same season, having also featured in Villa's successful UEFA Europa League run. He will be hoping to lift that very same trophy with Palace this time around, having become the Eagles' fourth summer arrival after Oscar Mingueza, Takehiro Tomiyasu and Dwight McNeil.
Before joining Palace, Guessand played 21 times for Aston Villa in the first half of last season, scoring two goals and assisting once.
"I'm so happy to be here. I already have good memories here, but I think it's only the beginning. I hope many more are coming," Evann Guessand said in an official statement.
Crystal Palace finished 15th in the Premier League during the 2025/26 season with 11 wins, 12 draws, and 15 losses. Despite their mid-table domestic finish under Oliver Glasner, they famously qualified for the UEFA Europa League by winning the UEFA Conference League. They will start their 2025-26 campaign on Aug 22 against Everton at the Hill Dickinson Stadium in Liverpool.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Interesting how Palace keep relying on loans rather than permanent signings. Guessand showed flashes last season but 14 games with 2 goals isn't spectacular. That said, the Conference League win shows he turns up in big moments. Let's see if he can sustain it over a full season.
Nice to see an Ivorian player doing well in Europe—Africa keeps producing top talent. Guessand's journey from Marseille to Nice to Villa and now back to Palace shows real resilience. Palace finished 15th though, so he's got his work cut out. Need more than just European glory this time.
Fourth signing of the summer—Palace are clearly building something. Guessand knows the club and the manager, so he should hit the ground running. The Premier League is brutal though, especially for a team that only won 11 games last year. Hope the Europa League run doesn't distract from domestic form.
Honestly, I'm a bit skeptical. Guessand scored 12 times for Nice in 2024/25, but his numbers since then have dipped. Palace need a consistent scorer, not just a big-game player. That said, the option to buy is low-risk. If he delivers in Europe again, it's a win-win. 🤞
The fact that he won two European trophies in one season is wild—that's the kind of experience money can't buy. Palace's Conference League win was historic, and keeping that core together plus adding Guessand permanently next summer could be huge. Everton away first up is a tough test though.
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