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Yeremy Pino is enduring a tough debut campaign at Crystal Palace.
The Spain international has scored just two goals and provided one assist in 26 Premier League appearances since his £26m move from Villarreal to Selhurst Park in August 2025.
Pino has now started to receive less playing time under Oliver Glasner following the arrival of Evann Guessand on loan from Aston Villa in January, who is already one strike away from matching the Spaniard’s total of goal involvements in just four Premier League games for the Eagles.
Crystal Palace actually wanted to sign the Ivorian first before he opted for a £30m move to Aston Villa instead back in August – as Glasner confirmed on Wednesday – and the £26m deal for Pino only happened later that month after Steve Parish began to look for alternatives.
With Guessand seemingly enjoying himself far more in south London than at Villa Park – where he failed to score or assist a goal in 13 Premier League appearances – a summer swap deal is starting to make a lot of sense.
Unai Emery’s connection with Yeremy Pino must be explored by Steve Parish amid Evann Guessand success in south London
It feels like both Crystal Palace and Aston Villa would have been far better off had they signed the opposite player.
Photo by Crystal Pix/MB Media/Getty Images
Not only does Guessand seem to prefer south London to the Midlands, but Pino – who Crystal Palace were unsure about anyway – also has a history of success under Unai Emery at Villarreal.
It was the Aston Villa boss who handed the 23-year-old his debut for Villarreal at the age of just 18 years and two days back in October 2020, and the attacking midfielder went on to become a key man under the Spanish tactician, scoring 15 goals and assisting another six in 91 games under his guidance.
Pino was even part of the starting XI as Villarreal defeated Manchester United to win the 2021 UEFA Europa League final, becoming the youngest Spanish player ever to start a European final at the age of just 18 years and 218 days, as well as the youngest player to ever win the competition.
Therefore, Emery evidently has a lot of trust in the Crystal Palace No.10 as a footballer, but did not seem to fancy Guessand as much at Villa Park.
So, with Pino – who admires Adam Wharton – struggling in south London, the Aston Villa boss may well be open to swapping the two attackers if Parish puts that proposal on the table this summer.
Crystal Palace have an Evann Guessand obligation regardless of what happens to Yeremy Pino
Sky Sports recently revealed that a clause will be triggered if Guessand records five more goal involvements for Crystal Palace, which makes Parish obligated to buy the Ivory Coast international for £28m.
Photo by Neville Williams/Aston Villa FC via Getty Images
As aforesaid, the 24-year-old currently has three to his name with two goals and one assist in six appearances, and a £28m deal becomes official if he reaches eight goal involvements.
Even if that clause does get triggered – which is highly possible given how well Guessand is playing – Aston Villa may still hold an interest in taking Pino in a swap deal given his relationship with Emery, in our opinion at least.