Aston Villa have agreed a £26m deal, plus £4.3m in add-ons, to sign striker Evann Guessand from Nice. The 24-year-old Ivory Coast international scored 12 goals last season and was named Nice's Player of the Season as they secured a fourth-place finish in Ligue 1.
Idman.biz, citing BBC, reports that Guessand is expected to complete his medical on Wednesday and becomes Villa's first major signing of the summer. He follows Yasin Ozcan, loaned to Anderlecht, and goalkeeper Marco Bizot from Brest.
Villa were in need of attacking reinforcements after Jhon Duran’s January move to Al-Nassr left Ollie Watkins as the club’s only senior striker. Marcus Rashford’s loan spell ended with his move to Barcelona.
Guessand, a product of Nice’s youth system, signed a new four-year deal in 2023 and made his Ivory Coast debut in June 2024. He has since earned nine caps.
Villa, who finished sixth to secure Europa League qualification, begin their Premier League season at home to Newcastle on 16 August.
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