Striker Set To Join Aston Villa For €35 Million: Good Signing For Villa? | OneFootball

Aston Villa have transformed themselves from a mid-table club to a contender for European competition in the last few years. Under the leadership of Unai Emery, Villa have shown improvement and consistency in their performances. The club played in the Champions League last season and will now play in the Europa League next season. The discipline and strategy with which Emery has constructed the team have now made the club’s supporters have high expectations every season.

The team have added many young and talented players in recent years. In the last transfer window, Villa looked for aggressive options. The club considered many names and also held talks with some players. Despite being linked with names like Rashford and Asensio for a permanent deal, no firm deal could be reached. During this process, a new name emerged, which caught the attention of Emery and his team.

Aston Villa set to sign Evann Guessand

BRUSSELS, BELGIUM – DECEMBER 12: Evann Guessand #29 of OGC Nice scores a goal in the first half of the UEFA Europa League 2024/25 League Phase MD6 match between R. Union Saint-Gilloise and OGC Nice at King Baudouin Stadium on December 12, 2024 in Brussels, Belgium. (Photo by Alex Bierens de Haan/Getty Images)

According to a report by Fabrizio Romano, OGC Nice’s young forward Evann Guessand could soon be seen in an Aston Villa jersey. Villa have received verbal agreement from the French club for the Ivorian international. A total of €35 million has been agreed on for the deal, with €30 million being the base fee and €5 million in add-ons.

Guessand, who has been part of Nice since 2014, broke into the first team in 2020. After several loan spells, he received his first regular chance at the club in the 2023-24 season. The attacker can play anywhere from the left flank to centre forward. He can score goals and also has the ability to create consistent chances. Unai Emery was looking for just such a multi-faceted player who can make a difference in the final third.

Good deal for Villa?

We believe this deal is a very smart move for Villa. Guessand is young, and his career is on the rise. Bringing in a player like him for €35 million, in a time of high prices in the market, seems like a smart move. Guessand’s biggest strength is his multi-defined role — he is a winger, a finisher, and a creator. It won’t take long for a player like him to fit into Emery’s system.

While the intensity and physicality of the Premier League is different from Ligue 1, Guessand’s current age and resilience make him well-equipped. Villa have nurtured many such young players in the past, and Guessand could follow the same path. He will improve under Emery and could even become the club’s top scorer next season.