Aston Villa have reached an agreement to sign Nice forward Evann Guessand in a deal worth £26 million, with an additional £4.3 million in performance-based add-ons.
The 24-year-old Ivory Coast international is expected to undergo a medical on Wednesday, ahead of becoming Villa’s first major signing of the summer transfer window.
Guessand enjoyed a standout 2023/24 campaign in Ligue 1, scoring 12 goals and earning the Player of the Season award as he helped Nice to a fourth-place finish.
He had been on the radar of Crystal Palace, but Villa moved quickly to secure his services. His arrival addresses a key need for the club following Jhon Duran’s move to Al-Nassr in January and the end of Marcus Rashford’s loan spell.
Villa had been left with Ollie Watkins as the only senior centre-forward in the squad. Guessand’s addition will now provide depth and competition ahead of the club’s return to Europa League football.
A product of Nice’s youth academy, Guessand signed a new four-year deal with the French club last summer. He made his international debut for Ivory Coast in June 2024 and has already earned nine caps.
The striker will join recent recruits Yasin Özcan — who was immediately loaned out to Anderlecht — and goalkeeper Marco Bizot, who arrived from Brest for an undisclosed fee.
Aston Villa kick off their Premier League campaign at home to Newcastle United on Saturday, August 16 (12:30 BST).
