Aston Villa boss Unai Emery has spoken about Evann Guessand’s impending move to Crystal Palace
Aston Villa’s Evann Guessand(Image: Photo by James Gill – Danehouse/Getty Images)
Unai Emery was happy to continue working with Evann Guessand, but insists that the deal Crystal Palace proposed to Aston Villa was too good to turn down.
The Ivory Coast international is set to join Palace on loan with an option to buy, though reports suggest there is a clause in the agreement that could oblige the Eagles to make the move permanent.
Despite only joining Villa in the summer in a deal worth £30 million, Guessand is in need of a fresh start, having struggled to find form under Emery.
Both of the goals he scored in claret and blue came in the Europa League, against FC Basel and Go Ahead Eagles.
Guessand made a total of 13 appearances for Villa, starting six league games, but may now have played his final match for the club.
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“It’s something similar like with Malen. There are three parts of this chapter – it is the club, the team, the player,” Emery explained.
“I was happy with him. I didn’t want him to leave, but I am accepting something a good deal for the club and as well for him, the chance to play and get another way to show his development.
“I accepted it. He is leaving because we signed one striker and one winger. Maybe the last matches was more difficult for him to play in the starting XI, then he decided to leave.
“We’ll continue with the players we have. On Sunday Tammy Abraham and Leon Bailey are joining us, Douglas Luiz is also joining us.
“Alysson is a player with a huge potential and hopefully he can join us in a few weeks to try to work with him.”
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