Aston Villa Agree Deal for Ivory Coast Striker Guessand

Aston Villa are closing in on the signing of Ivorian forward Evann Guessand from French side OGC Nice in a deal worth £26 million, with an additional £4.3 million in potential add-ons, Sport360NG reports.

The 24-year-old, who netted 12 goals during the previous Ligue 1 campaign, played a key role in helping Nice secure a fourth-place finish. His performances earned him the club’s Player of the Season award.

Guessand is due to undergo a medical on Wednesday ahead of what would be Villa’s first headline signing of the summer window.

Although Yasin Özcan arrived from Turkish outfit Kasimpasa, he was immediately loaned out to Anderlecht, while goalkeeper Marco Bizot was brought in from Brest for an undisclosed fee.

Villa have been keen to bolster their attacking options following Jhon Duran’s move to Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr in January, which left Ollie Watkins as the only established centre-forward. Marcus Rashford filled in during the second half of last season on loan, but the England international has since completed a move to Barcelona.

A product of Nice’s youth academy, Guessand signed a four-year contract with the club last summer. He made his senior international debut for Ivory Coast in June 2024 and has since earned nine caps.

Unai Emery’s side, who finished sixth in the Premier League to secure a Europa League spot, begin their 2025/26 campaign against Newcastle United at Villa Park on Saturday, August 16 (12:30 BST).