Aston Villa have reached an agreement to sign Ivory Coast forward Evann Guessand from Nice in a deal worth £26 million plus £4.3 million in add-ons. The 24-year-old is expected to undergo a medical in Birmingham today before finalising his move.
Guessand, who scored 12 goals last season and was named Nice’s player of the season as the French club finished fourth in Ligue 1, had also attracted interest from Crystal Palace. His arrival will mark Villa’s first major signing of the summer transfer window.
The forward’s move comes as Villa look to bolster their attacking options following the January departure of Jhon Duran to Saudi club Al-Nassr, which left Ollie Watkins as the only senior centre-forward. Marcus Rashford, who spent the second half of last season on loan at Villa Park, has since joined Barcelona.
Guessand, a Nice academy graduate who signed a four-year contract extension last summer, made his international debut for Ivory Coast in June 2024 and has already earned nine caps.
Villa have already added 18-year-old defender Yasin Ozcan, signed from Kasimpasa and loaned immediately to Anderlecht, and experienced goalkeeper Marco Bizot from Brest for an undisclosed fee.
Unai Emery’s side, who finished sixth in the Premier League last season to qualify for the Europa League, will open their new campaign at home against Newcastle United on Saturday, 16 August.
Written By Rodney Mbua
