€30 million initial fee
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Aston Villa is on the verge of finalizing their first major signing of the summer with striker Evann Guessand from Nice. According to Fabrizio Romano, the 24-year-old will make his move to Villa Park in a deal worth €30 million, with an additional €5 million in add-ons. If the total fee reaches €35 million, Guessand will become the fifth most expensive signing in the club’s history, surpassing Ollie Watkins’ €34 million transfer from Brentford in 2020.
Despite having invested €439 million in new players over the last three seasons, Guessand appears to be Villa’s sole significant addition this summer, alongside Yasin Özcan, who was signed for €7 million from Kasimpasa. As a result, supporters of the Premier League club are eager to familiarize themselves with their new star striker. Is he ready for the English top flight? Could he potentially replace Watkins? Let’s explore.
Assessing Evann Guessand’s Talent
Guessand is a strong forward who emerged from Nice’s youth system and recently secured a place in the first team. After loan spells at Lausanne-Sport in Switzerland and Nantes in France, the Ajaccio-born striker made his mark in Nice’s first team last season. Villa likely caught wind of his impressive ability to both score and assist goals. Notably, unlike many Ligue 1 prospects making the jump to the Premier League, Guessand took longer to establish himself at the senior level, having just turned 24 at the end of what has been deemed his breakthrough season in France.
Nonetheless, Transfermarkt Ligue 1 analyst Ronan Caroff believes this delay should not raise concerns for Villa fans. “It’s promising to see players flourish at an ‘older’ age compared to the pressure placed on 17-18-year-olds,” Caroff remarked. “His playing time increased in the 2023/24 season, although he was still behind Terem Moffi and Gaëtan Laborde. His recent scoring record is not alarming, as former manager Francesco Farioli’s tactics focused more on defense than offense. With new head coach Franck Haise taking charge, coupled with Moffi’s injury and Youssoufa Moukoko’s disappointing performance, Guessand finally had his opportunity to shine as a starter.”
Guessand certainly seized this chance. After a modest output of five goals and assists in 30 league appearances for Nantes in the 2022/23 season, and just 10 in 34 Ligue 1 games the next year for Nice, he exploded onto the scene last season, racking up 12 goals and nine assists in 33 appearances, averaging an impressive 0.74 goal contributions per 90 minutes. His ability to both score and assist raises questions about whether he’s being viewed as a potential replacement for Watkins.
Is Evann Guessand the Next Ollie Watkins?
Throughout his tenure at Nice, Guessand played on both the left and right flanks and occasionally took on the role of a second striker. Caroff describes Guessand as a player drawing comparisons to Watkins. “Though his size may suggest a target man, he’s proven to be quite dynamic, being utilized in various attacking roles during his career,” Caroff explained. “He excels as a playmaker on the wing and possesses significant speed, power, and technical ability across the front three.”
While Guessand may have an edge in aerial play due to his height and could potentially be a more effective dribbler than Watkins thanks to his speed, both players share a thirst for goals along with a capacity to create scoring opportunities for teammates. During his time at Nice, Guessand averaged 0.28 assists per 90 minutes in league play, marginally outpacing Watkins’ 0.21 assists per 90 in the Premier League. Nonetheless, whether Guessand can make the transition to the English top flight remains uncertain.
“It could be argued that it’s a bit premature for him to move after only one full season as a key player for his boyhood club,” Caroff states, reflecting on whether Villa’s new striker is ready for the Premier League. “However, with his value at a peak and a sufficiently long contract with Nice, this might be the perfect moment for him to transition. Consider his decision to turn down a lucrative offer from Neom SC in Saudi Arabia; it’s commendable that he prioritized the opportunity to test himself at the highest level over merely chasing a higher salary.” Whether Guessand can step up at Villa this season or ultimately replace Watkins remains to be seen, but early signs suggest the English club has acquired a player eager to make up for lost time and prove himself in his new surroundings.
