Evann Guessand Set For Aston Villa Move In €35m Deal

Aston Villa have reached an agreement to sign striker Evann Guessand. They will pay OGC Nice up to €35 million. Guessand is ready to travel to England for his medical and is set to sign a five-year contract at Villa Park.

WHAT HAPPENED?

Villa acted quickly to seal the signing of Guessand after agreeing a deal with Nice, worth €30m, plus €5m in potential add-ons. The 24-year-old forward was given permission to fly to Birmingham and is poised to complete his medical and then put pen to paper on a contract in the next few days. Villa’s offer blew Crystal Palace and a number of other clubs out of the water, with Guessand now set to become their biggest signing so far this summer. He scored 12 goals and provided eight assists in 33 Ligue 1 fixtures for Nice last season and is regarded as one of the best attackers in the French league.

WHY VILLA MOVED FOR GUESSAND

Guessand’s biggest asset is his obvious potential and ability to play anywhere along the front line. He attacks space with confidence and is an excellent fit for Emery’s system at Villa. And while Villa get his goals, his hold-up play and ability to link with team-mates is something Emery quickly identified when following Nice matches this year. Guessand may actually start his career at Villa Park off the bench, but the goal will be to be a part of the team and fill the void left by Rashford after the end of his loan and return to Manchester United.

WHAT’S NEXT FOR GUESSAND?

Completing the deal is a formality now. Guessand has already said goodbye to his team-mates at Nice and is expected to be officially released by the Ligue 1 club today. He will be a Villa player once the work permit procedure is finalized. But he’s expected to become one of the hottest properties in England over the next few years. He is not interested in a short-term move for game time. Guessand wanted to play in the Premier League and particularly for Emery. Players turned to Villa when it became clear that Emery wanted to sign them last season and it is clear that Guessand has had plenty of positive feedback about working with the head coach.