Unai Emery’s Aston Villa have a verbal agreement in place to sign OGC Nice striker Evann Guessand in a deal worth €35 million.
According to Fabrizio Romano, Evann Guessand will soon complete his move to Aston Villa as they have a verbal agreement with OGC Nice for the services of the Ivorian international. The Premier League club have agreed to pay a total of €35 million to bring him to Birmingham.
Guessand has been a part of the Nice setup since 2014. He went up the ranks at some pace and got promoted to the first team back in 2020. After multiple loan spells away from the club, he finally got an extended run in the first team during the 2023/24 season.
His impressive performances earned him a much more prominent role last season, and the 24-year-old certainly didn’t disappoint. In his 42 outings across competitions, he scored 13 goals and provided 10 assists.
While he prefers playing as a number nine, he is equally effective on either flank. Thanks to his exceptional displays across the front line last season, multiple top clubs are keen on securing his services.
Villa win the race to sign Guessand
Aston Villa are one of the clubs that took note of his impressive rise. They are keen on adding him to their squad and have been working on a potential transfer for a week.
Unai Emery seeks more firepower in the final third. With Marcus Rashford and Marco Asensio returning to their parent clubs, Guessand could be just the perfect replacement for the duo thanks to his versatility.
He will give Emery options on the flank as well as up top. More importantly, he can create as well as score goals. After weeks of negotiations with Nice, they have finally managed to convince the French club to part ways with one of their most exciting talents.
With three years still left on his deal, the Ligue 1 outfit were holding out for a significant fee. Villa’s bid, worth an initial €30 million plus €5 million in add-ons, has now been accepted. With a verbal agreement in place, the deal is considered done.
The French club have authorised Guessand to travel for his medical, after which he will sign his contract as a new Villa player. Emery enjoys working with versatile players, and he will certainly welcome having someone like the Ivorian international in his squad next season.