‘I was waiting for this moment’: Guessand’s first Palace TV interview
Evann Guessand cannot wait to get started in a Crystal Palace shirt, as the forward told Palace TV in his first interview as an Eagle.
The 24-year-old has joined Palace on a loan deal until the end of the season from Aston Villa, and brings an exciting mix of flair, athleticism – and a desire to achieve big things in South London.
Guessand told Palace TV: “I’m really excited, really excited to be here. I was waiting for this moment for a very long time.
“I’m excited to play with my new teammates and fight with them, because we have some objectives, some targets, and I think with the quality we have, we can achieve something.
“I've seen a lot of qualities in this team. I've seen them playing. I think my first game in the [Premier] League was against Crystal Palace, and I've seen the quality of this team.
“Every player has this mentality to win, and the Manager as well. I spoke with him and the way he plays, the way he gets the best from his players, this is what I really like.
“I want to improve – I want to get better and better every day – so there are lots of reasons to come here.”
I want to bring my qualities, everything I can do on the pitch
—Evann Guessand
Delving into the mix of attributes which saw him named Nice’s Player of the Season in 2024/25, attracting widespread attention from across Europe, Guessand noted: “I want to bring my qualities, everything I can do on the pitch.
“I think the way I play and the way the team plays fits really well with the quality we've already got.
"My motivation, everything I've learned before, my experience… I think everything can be good for the team. I just need to be focused and everything's going to be okay.
“I can play in every position. I'm still a forward, but I can play left winger, right winger, No. 10, No. 9…. I'm a versatile player. I would say I have speed, I'm strong and technical as well, so this is why I can play a bit everywhere.”
Guessand’s participation in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations – where he scored in the group-stages and helped Ivory Coast reach the quarter-finals – meant he did not visit Selhurst Park with Aston Villa earlier this month.
But the forward is raring to get going in SE25, noting the upcoming visit of Burnley to Selhurst Park on Wednesday, 11th February (19:30 GMT) – for which limited tickets remain available – as his first opportunity to experience the ground’s famous atmosphere.
“I missed it because I was at AFCON when my last club [Aston Villa] played against Crystal Palace, so I haven't had the opportunity to come to Selhurst Park!” he recalled.
“But I think the first game for me at home is 11th February – and I’m really excited to see the fans, and to see the atmosphere in the stadium. I’m ready.
“Keep being behind the team, keep supporting us, because we need the fans to be at the highest level to reach our goals, our targets.”
For more from Guessand, including his hopes for Palace in the UEFA Conference League and in the second half of 2025/26, watch our full Palace TV interview above!