Evann Guessand has officially left Aston Villa to rejoin Crystal Palace, with both clubs confirming the forward’s return to Selhurst Park.
The Ivory Coast international has joined Palace on a season-long loan which includes a conditional obligation to make the transfer permanent.
The deal brings a swift conclusion to negotiations which accelerated significantly over the past 24 hours.
ReadAstonVilla reported on Tuesday that Villa and Palace were closing in on an agreement for Guessand, before the forward underwent his medical on Wednesday morning.
There is no longer any uncertainty over his immediate future.
Aston Villa have officially confirmed Guessand’s departure, stating that the 25-year-old has joined Crystal Palace for the 2026/27 season with a conditional obligation to buy included in the agreement.
Evann Guessand completes Crystal Palace return
The move sends Guessand back to familiar surroundings after he spent the second half of last season on loan at Selhurst Park.
Palace initially had the opportunity to retain him permanently following that spell but opted against completing a deal earlier in the summer. Their interest subsequently returned, with Porto and Bayer Leverkusen also linked with the forward before Palace moved to bring him back.
Guessand’s departure also gives Unai Emery greater clarity over his attacking squad.
The Ivory Coast international joined Villa from Nice in August 2025 but struggled to establish himself as a regular before being allowed to join Palace in January.
His return to Selhurst Park means he will no longer be available for Wednesday night’s UEFA Super Cup against Paris Saint-Germain, despite initially being included in Villa’s squad for the fixture.
For Villa, attention can now turn towards their remaining summer business. Emery has already added Alejandro Garnacho to his attacking options, while the club continue to assess further opportunities before the transfer window closes.
The exact conditions required to trigger Palace’s obligation have not been disclosed by Villa.
What is confirmed is that Guessand’s second Palace spell is underway, and this time there is a pathway for the move to become permanent.
