Crystal Palace are advancing talks to bring Evann Guessand back to Selhurst Park on loan from Aston Villa, according to a fresh report.
A season-long deal containing an option to buy is being discussed as the forward moves closer to another potential Villa Park exit.
Guessand spent the second half of last season with Palace after struggling for regular football under Unai Emery at Aston Villa.
ReadAstonVilla reported on Saturday that Palace had revived their interest and contacted the Ivory Coast international’s representatives over another possible loan.
Evann Guessand Crystal Palace talks advance
That interest has now developed further.
Journalist Henry Swain reports that Crystal Palace are advancing talks with Aston Villa over a season-long loan for Guessand.
An option to buy has also been positively discussed between the parties, while Swain reports there are no issues surrounding personal terms.
That represents significant progress from the situation reported over the weekend, when Palace had only reopened discussions over bringing the 25-year-old back.
Guessand originally joined Aston Villa from Nice for an initial £26million last summer but scored only twice during the first half of his debut campaign. He subsequently moved to Palace in January and enjoyed an encouraging start before a knee injury disrupted his momentum.
Palace held an option to sign him permanently earlier this summer but allowed that clause to expire. A fresh agreement could now give them another route towards a permanent transfer while allowing Villa to move a player who remains outside Emery’s long-term plans.
Guessand has still been involved during Villa’s pre-season and started the recent defeat against Bayern Munich, but the latest negotiations suggest another departure is becoming increasingly realistic.
With Villa continuing to explore attacking additions before the transfer deadline, resolving Guessand’s future could also give Emery and Roberto Olabe greater flexibility during the final weeks of the window.
