Aston Villa forward Evann Guessand is reportedly weighing up his options after Crystal Palace allowed a £28 million option to buy clause to lapse. According to The Standard, the UEFA Conference League champions chose not to activate the clause at the end of May, leaving the 24-year-old available to other clubs, though Palace remain interested.
Guessand's Journey at Villa
Guessand joined Aston Villa from Nice last summer for a reported £30 million. However, he struggled to make an impact under Unai Emery, starting only six Premier League matches without registering a goal or assist. He did score twice in seven Europa League group stage appearances before being loaned to Crystal Palace in January.
Loan Success at Palace
At Selhurst Park, Guessand hit the ground running, despite a knee injury that sidelined him for several weeks. He returned to play in the final Premier League matches and featured for ten minutes in Palace's historic UEFA Conference League final win over Rayo Vallecano last week. He has since been named in Ivory Coast's World Cup squad and is due back at Villa for pre-season.
Uncertain Future
The departure of Oliver Glasner from Palace has clouded the situation. The report suggests Guessand was happy at Palace, and while Emery seemed content to keep him for the season, he noted in January that the loan would benefit the club. Now, Guessand is 'weighing up his options'. Interestingly, he could end up with two winners' medals, having contributed to Villa's Europa League campaign as well.
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