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<p>€30m initial transfer fee</p>
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alt="Evaluating new Villa striker Evann Guessand: A potential replacement for Ollie Watkins"
src="https://tmssl.akamaized.net//images/foto/galerie/evann-guessand-nice-2024-2025-1-1751636536-171631.jpg"
title="Evaluating new Villa striker Evann Guessand: A potential replacement for Ollie Watkins">
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<p><span>©IMAGO</span></p>
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Aston Villa has secured their first significant signing of the summer transfer window with the arrival of striker Evann Guessand from Nice. As reported by <em>Fabrizio Romano</em>, the 24-year-old has joined Villa Park for an initial fee of €30 million, with an additional €5 million in performance-related add-ons after committing to a five-year contract. If the total fee reaches €35 million, it would position Guessand as the fifth most expensive signing in the club's history, surpassing Ollie Watkins' €34 million transfer from Brentford in 2020.
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Despite investing €439 million on new players over the past three seasons, Guessand is set to be the only major addition to Unai Emery's squad, along with a €7 million acquisition of Yasin Özcan from Kasimpasa. Fans of the Premier League club are eager to learn more about their new star striker and whether he is ready for the English top flight and potentially serving as Watkins' successor. Let's delve into it.
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<h2 dir="ltr">Assessing Evann Guessand's Talent</h2>
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Guessand is a formidable striker who rose through the ranks of Nice's youth system and recently secured his place in the first team. After loan spells at Lausanne-Sport in Switzerland and Nantes in France, he truly emerged in Nice's lineup last season. This standout performance likely caught Villa's attention, showcasing his dual capability to score and create goals. Unlike many Ligue 1 talents transitioning to the Premier League, Guessand took his time to establish himself, only turning 24 at the end of what many would consider his breakout season in France.
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Nevertheless, <em>Transfermarkt</em> Ligue 1 expert Ronan Caroff believes this delay is not a significant concern for Villa fans. "It's encouraging to see players develop at an 'older' age, rather than placing immense pressure on younger talents," Caroff commented. "His playing time increased in the 2023/24 season, but he remained behind Terem Moffi and Gaëtan Laborde in the lineup. His relatively recent scoring record shouldn't cause alarm, as former manager Francesco Farioli's tactics prioritized defense over offense. With the arrival of new coach Franck Haise last summer, along with Moffi's injury and Youssoufa Moukoko's disappointing performances, Guessand finally seized the opportunity to become a key player."
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Guessand certainly capitalized on his opportunity. After a meager five goals and assists in 30 league games for Nantes in the 2022/23 season, he exploded onto the scene last season with an impressive tally of 12 goals and nine assists in 33 appearances, averaging a notable 0.74 goal contributions per 90 minutes. His ability to both score and assist raises questions among Villa fans about whether he is being groomed to succeed their current star.
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<h2 dir="ltr">Could Evann Guessand Replace Ollie Watkins?</h2>
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During his time at Nice, Guessand has demonstrated versatility, playing on both wings and even as a second striker when not leading the line. Caroff shared insights into his playing style, noting the potential for comparisons with Villa's Watkins. "His physique might suggest he's a traditional target man, but he has proven to be more dynamic, excelling in various attacking roles throughout his career," Caroff explained. "He can create assists from the wing while also possessing speed, power, and technical ability to operate across the front line."
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<img
alt="Comparative statistics: Watkins vs Guessand"
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src="https://tmssl.akamaized.net//images/foto/newsansicht/watkins-vs-guessand-1754479048-174146.png?lm=1754479059"
title="Comparative statistics: Watkins vs Guessand"
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While Guessand may excel in aerial duels due to his height and possibly be a more agile dribbler than Watkins because of his speed, both players share a strong desire to find the back of the net as well as an ability to assist their teammates. Throughout his tenure at Nice, the 24-year-old averaged 0.28 assists per 90 minutes in league play, slightly outperforming Watkins' average of 0.21 assists per 90 in the Premier League. However, it remains to be seen if Guessand can adjust to the challenges of the English top tier.
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"It could be argued that after just one full season as a key player for his boyhood club, it's a tad premature," Caroff remarked regarding Guessand’s readiness for the Premier League. "But with his stock higher than ever and a sufficiently lengthy contract with Nice, this might be the perfect moment for him to make the leap. The fact that he declined a lucrative offer from Neom SC in Saudi Arabia suggests he values the opportunity to prove himself at the highest level over financial gain." Whether Guessand can thrive at Villa this season or indeed succeed Watkins remains uncertain, but early indications point to the English club having recruited a driven player eager to make his mark.
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