Crystal Palace are considering cutting short Evann Guessand's loan spell from Aston Villa in January. The striker's lack of playing time has prompted the club to review his situation ahead of the winter window.
Guessand joined on a season-long deal in the summer but has found opportunities limited in a competitive forward line. Palace currently sit 15th in the Premier League with four points from their opening five matches, having scored six goals while conceding eleven. The club's attacking options have been boosted by the form of others, including Eddie Nketiah who scored in the recent 4-0 win over Lech Poznan.
A decision on the 22-year-old's future is expected to be made in the coming weeks. If his minutes do not increase, the club is understood to be prepared to activate a break clause and return him to his parent club. This would free up a squad place and potentially part of the wage budget for other business.
The move reflects a pragmatic approach from the recruitment team, who are constantly assessing the squad's balance. With Jean-Philippe Mateta among the players currently sidelined, the need for reliable contributions from every attacking player is heightened.
Guessand's potential departure would not be seen as a failure but as a necessary adjustment. The club remains active in monitoring the market and its own squad's performance data, which is available in the stats section. The final call will be made by the football department before the January transfer window opens.
