'Bid accepted' - Fabrizio Romano delivers major update on £30.5m Aston Villa & Crystal Palace transfer target
The latest transfer news as Fabrizio Romano confirms a done deal for an Aston Villa and Crystal Palace striker target.
Aston Villa are closing in on an important summer signing, putting an end to the doom and gloom from the start of the transfer window.
Up until this point, Villa have completed just two permanent signings and neither have been major. Young striker Zepiqueno Redmond - expected to join up with the under-21 squad - signed from PSV Eindhoven for free, while Marco Bizot arrived from Stade Brestois to replace Robin Olsen as the backup goalkeeper.
Unai Emery has been determined to get further business done but he’s been restricted by a host of financial troubles. Any concerns over a potential breach of the Premier League’s profit and sustainability regulations (PSR) were eradicated by an agreed sale of the women’s team, but Villa still have the task of reducing their wage bill to comply with UEFA’s squad cost rules (SCR).
That’s meant the focus has had to be on outgoings rather than incomings, but Villa have been able to briefly escape those shackles to make a move for a talented forward. Emery wanted someone who can drift in from wide and add to Villa’s firepower; the head coach appears to be getting his wish as a new signing can now be considered imminent.
Fabrizio Romano: Aston Villa book medical for £30m striker
Villa have reportedly swooped in to hijack Crystal Palace’s move for OGC Nice attacker Evann Guessand. It emerged on Tuesday night that Villa were in advanced talks and it wasn’t long before it was widely reported that a full agreement had been struck between the two clubs.
Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano, known around the world for his impressively accurate transfer stories, has provided a conclusive update on Guessand. It appears the 24-year-old forward will be a Villa player very soon.
Posting to X (formerly Twitter), Romano said: “Evann Guessand to Aston Villa, here we go! Verbal agreement in place after €30m plus €5m add-ons bid accepted. OGC Nice authorised Guessand to travel for medical and contract signing for next steps. New striker for Unai Emery.”
The Telegraph reports Villa have ‘beaten Palace’ to signing Guessand, who has been compared to legendary former Chelsea striker Didier Drogba. Reports in France over the weekend suggested the Eagles were nearing an agreement to sign Guessand, but Villa are now on the verge of sealing an impressive hijack.
How will Evann Guessand fit in at Aston Villa?
Although described at first glance by many as a centre-forward, Guessand is not your traditional number nine. Instead, the 10-time Ivory Coast international operates as more of a second striker or as an inside forward. Strong and direct in possession, Guessand loves to power into the box with the ball, much like Morgan Rogers already does.
Guessand likes to get in on the goalscoring act, too, as he netted 12 times in 33 Ligue 1 appearances last season and contributed nine assists. It was the forward’s best campaign to date, beating his 2023/24 term which bore witness to six goals and two assists in 34 league games.
Set to cost €35 million (£30.5m) after add-ons, Guessand is an expensive addition. Villa don’t have much budget to play with, either, so it’s a substantial risk to spend big on one player. That said, Guessand is just the profile of player Emery was seeking and he’s bound to improve Villa’s attacking prospects.