Aston Villa's forgotten man Evann Guessand is on the verge of making history by potentially becoming the first footballer to win two European trophies in a single season. The 24-year-old Ivory Coast international joined Villa last summer from Nice for around £26 million, beating Crystal Palace to his signature. However, he moved to Selhurst Park on loan in January.
Historic Double in Sight
If Aston Villa win the Europa League final against Freiburg and Crystal Palace triumph in the Europa Conference League final against Rayo Vallecano, Guessand will collect winners' medals from both competitions. He played seven times for Villa in the Europa League league phase, scoring against Go Ahead Eagles and FC Basel. Despite a knee injury limiting his Palace appearances, he has featured five times in the Conference League, netting against Zrinjski Mostar.
Former Manchester United player Antony nearly achieved this feat last season, but both United and his loan club Real Betis lost their respective finals.
Loan Deal Details
Guessand made 13 Premier League appearances for Villa before his loan move. According to Sky Sports, his loan agreement includes a clause that eight goal contributions would trigger a permanent £28 million transfer. Palace also have a £28.5 million option to buy if he falls short of that target, with the player already agreeing to a four-year contract.
The winger has scored twice for Palace, once in the Premier League and once in the Conference League, and provided one assist. After joining Palace, he said: "I was waiting for this moment for a very long time. I'm excited to play with my new team-mates and fight with them."
Finals Preview
Aston Villa face Freiburg in Istanbul on Wednesday night, aiming for their first major European trophy since 1982. Palace take on Rayo Vallecano in Leipzig on May 27, seeking their first-ever European silverware, which would be a fitting farewell for departing manager Oliver Glasner.
