Aston Villa Transfer Decisively for Ligue 1 Star
Aston Villa have reached an settlement to signal OGC Good ahead Evann Guessand, in a deal value £26 million plus an additional £4.3 million in potential add-ons.
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The 24-year-old striker, who was named Participant of the Season at Good after netting 12 targets and serving to the membership to a fourth-place end in Ligue 1, is anticipated to endure a medical at Bodymoor Heath on Wednesday.
Guessand had drawn curiosity from a number of Premier League golf equipment together with Crystal Palace, however Villa acted swiftly to safe the Ivorian worldwide forward of the competitors. The transfer marks their first main acquisition of the summer season window.
Villa Bolster Putting Depth After Key Departures
Unai Emery has made it a precedence to strengthen his attacking choices after January’s sale of Jhon Duran to Saudi Professional League facet Al-Nassr. With Ollie Watkins the one established centre-forward accessible within the squad and Marcus Rashford’s mortgage spell concluding earlier than his change to Barcelona, reinforcements had been important.
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Guessand, who got here via the youth ranks at Good and signed a recent four-year deal in the summertime of 2024, now arrives as a ready-made answer to Villa’s ahead line wants.
His profile suits Villa’s technique of investing in gamers with each fast influence and long-term potential. At 6ft 2in, Guessand combines bodily presence with mobility, and his efficiency metrics final season counsel a ahead approaching the height of his powers.
Switch Window Begins to Take Form at Villa Park
Guessand turns into Villa’s third arrival of the summer season, following the signing of Turkish teenager Yasin Özcan from Kasimpasa — instantly loaned to Anderlecht — and skilled Dutch goalkeeper Marco Bizot from Brest.
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Whereas the earlier two signings provided depth and future promise, Guessand is seen because the marquee signing that can lead the road alongside or in rotation with Watkins.
Villa’s resolution to maneuver early within the window underscores the membership’s ambition to construct on final season’s success and keep competitiveness throughout home and European fronts.
Worldwide Credentials Add to Guessand’s Profile
Having made his senior debut for the Ivory Coast in June 2024, Guessand has since earned 9 worldwide caps. His emergence on the worldwide stage provides additional credibility to Villa’s funding, significantly given the rising competitiveness of African expertise on the European stage.
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The transfer to the Premier League presents the following main step in Guessand’s profession. Sources near the deal counsel Villa had been impressed not simply by his scoring report, but in addition his character and tactical versatility — qualities which align with Emery’s evolving system.
The membership now appears set to combine Guessand into pre-season coaching instantly, with plans to incorporate him of their opening Premier League fixture. Topic to a profitable medical, the deal is anticipated to be accomplished inside days.
Evann Guessand Scouting Breakdown: Radar Evaluation of Villa’s New ForwardAttacking Output Alerts Actual Risk
Evann Guessand’s radar profile paints the image of a ahead with critical attacking instincts. Ranked within the 84th percentile for non-penalty targets and 82nd for non-penalty anticipated targets (npxG), the Ivorian has proven himself to be a constant objective menace over the previous 12 months. He’s additionally within the 71st percentile for anticipated assisted targets (xAG), suggesting a capability to carry teammates into play, regardless of not being a conventional creator. His mixed xG + xAG sits at a powerful 72 percentile — affirmation that his contributions are each frequent and prime quality.
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Whereas his help numbers are respectable (forty third percentile), it’s his goal-scoring and ending instincts that stand out most clearly. For a ahead working in a workforce like Good, that’s an encouraging signal for what he may ship in an Aston Villa shirt with higher service behind him.
Possession Information Displays Restricted Construct-Up Function
Guessand’s possession metrics are noticeably much less influential. His percentile ranks for passes tried (25), cross completion (23), progressive passes (2), and shot-creating actions (29) counsel he’s not closely concerned in dictating or constructing play. Even progressive carries (fortieth percentile) and profitable take-ons (70) replicate a participant who maybe capabilities extra as a final-third presence than a midfield hyperlink.
This might align with how Villa may use him: much less as a artistic 10 or a roaming huge ahead, and extra as a penalty-box striker or direct outlet on the shoulder of the final defender. His low progressive passing and carry numbers point out he’s much less seemingly for use in a deeper, false 9 function.
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Defensive Contributions Are Surprisingly Robust
For an attacking participant, Guessand’s defensive metrics are unusually excessive. He sits within the 79th percentile for tackles and interceptions mixed, 72nd for aerials received, and 66th for blocks — numbers that counsel a powerful work ethic and willingness to press or monitor again. His capacity to disrupt opposition build-up play might make him a precious asset in Unai Emery’s structured urgent system.
Given the depth required in Premier League ahead play, these statistics bode nicely. Few attackers persistently ship on each ends of the pitch, however Guessand’s numbers point out he may very well be trusted to execute off-the-ball duties with the identical depth as his goalscoring.
Conclusion
Evann Guessand isn’t a aptitude participant or a deep-lying creator — however what Aston Villa have signed is a direct, aggressive ahead who scores targets, wins bodily battles, and contributes defensively. The radar backs up the switch payment — and provides Emery a versatile striker able to thriving in English soccer.