Aston Villa and Nice reach verbal agreement over €35m Guessand transfer | OneFootball

Aston Villa have reached a verbal agreement to sign Evann Guessand from OGC Nice in a deal worth €35 million (£30.4 million), as Unai Emery looks to strengthen his attacking options ahead of the new season.

The Premier League club will pay an initial €30 million for the 24-year-old forward, with a further €5 million to be paid in performance-related add-ons.

Guessand is expected to undergo a medical this week and sign his contract shortly afterwards, with Nice giving the green light for him to travel.

Villa had been tracking Guessand for several months. He was one of several forward targets considered during the January window, but the decision was taken to leave him at Nice until the end of the Ligue 1 campaign.

With a deal now in place, the forward is set to become the club’s most significant signing of the summer so far.

Emery has been working with limited room to manoeuvre in the market due to concerns around Profitability and Sustainability Rules (PSR) and UEFA’s squad cost regulations.

That has restricted Villa to just one permanent signing — goalkeeper Marco Bizot from Brest — as they balance compliance with reinforcing key areas of the squad.

Following the January exit of Jhon Duran and the return of Marcus Rashford to Manchester United after a short-term loan, Ollie Watkins remains Villa’s only natural centre-forward.

The club have therefore prioritised the addition of a versatile forward who fits their profile — young, dynamic, and capable of operating across the frontline.

The 24-year-old fits that description. At Nice, he gained a reputation as a mobile and technically sound forward, contributing in various roles across the front three.

His flexibility, work rate and intelligence in the final third made him an appealing option for Emery, who has consistently targeted players capable of adapting to multiple tactical systems.

Guessand is expected to join up with the Villa squad shortly after completing his medical.

With the club’s Premier League opener against Newcastle United scheduled for August 16, he could be in contention to feature in the matchday squad if everything proceeds without delay.

Villa are likely to remain active in the final weeks of the window, but their business will continue to be shaped by financial regulations.

Guessand’s imminent arrival, though, marks a significant step forward in bolstering a squad that will also be competing in the Champions League this season.