Aston Villa completes Guessand deal
Aston Villa has signed forward Evann Guessand from Nice in a deal reportedly worth an initial £26 million ($53.6 million) plus £4 million ($8.2 million) in add-ons.
Guessand is the second addition to Villa's squad for the 2025-2026 season, after goalkeeper Marco Bizot joined from Ligue 1 club Brest to serve as back-up to Emiliano Martinez.
Centre-back Yasin Ozcan was also signed from Kasimpasa, only to head out on loan to Anderlecht immediately.
Guessand, who plays primarily on the right wing but has also featured as a central striker, was previously linked with FA Cup winner Crystal Palace.
He will fill the void in Villa's squad left by the departures of loanees Marcus Rashford and Marco Asensio, after Unai Emery's men rejected the chance to make their stays permanent at the end of last season.
The 24-year-old Ivory Coast international has reportedly penned a five-year deal with Villa, but the club did not initially reveal details of his contract.
Guessand scored 12 goals in Ligue 1 as Nice finished fourth to qualify for the UEFA Europa League, a competition Villa will also feature in after missing out on the Premier League's top five last term.
Guessand's first competitive outing for Villa could come in their Premier League opener against Newcastle United on 17 August (AEST), but it also has friendlies against Marseille and Villarreal before then.
