Winners and losers from Guessand’s potential Aston Villa transfer include Rogers
Unai Emery is set to finally welcome an outfield signing this summer, with Evann Guessand close to completing a move to Aston Villa.
The Villans have reached an agreement with OGC Nice that could rise to £30million, with Guessand set to undergo a medical imminently.
The 24-year-old scored 12 goals and registered nine assists in France last season, and can feature across the front line.
Here, Villa News outlines the biggest winners and losers from Guessand’s arrival at Villa Park.
Winner – Morgan Rogers
Like Morgan Rogers, Guessand is an incredibly powerful runner. The forward can often be seen picking up the ball and driving towards goal, usually holding off a defender at the same time.
And the 24-year-old is not afraid to take on his man, attempting almost four take-ons per 90 with around half of them proving successful, according to FBref.
| Evann Guessand | Ligue 1 2024/25 (Per 90) |
| Successful take-ons leading to shots | 0.56 |
| Carries | 21.37 |
| Take-ons attempted | 3.97 |
Rogers is often the man to pick up the ball and attract runners with his driving runs, usually creating space for Ollie Watkins.
But Guessand’s arrival could create a situation in which Rogers is the player afforded space, with the Englishman deadly when given time on the ball.
Loser – Donyell Malen
Donyell Malen would have hoped this season could see him play a more prominent role for Emery’s side.
The Dutchman’s minutes were often limited following his arrival in January, with Marcus Rashford and Marcos Asensio among those often preferred.
But with neither player returning to Villa this season, Malen looked set to jostle for minutes with Leon Bailey and Watkins.
Guessand’s imminent arrival could change that, however, with the Ivory Coast international likely to directly compete in both of Malen’s preferred roles.
Winner – Ollie Watkins
On the face of it, Guessand would be expected to directly compete against Watkins through the middle for Villa.
But it is much more likely that the 24-year-old will play alongside the England international, whether that is on the right wing or in a two-striker formation.
| Evann Guessand | Ligue 1 2024/25 (per 90) |
| Shot-creating actions | 3.16 |
| Goal-creating actions | 0.53 |
| Key passes | 1.15 |
Compared to other forwards, Guessand presents superb creative actions. The Ivory Coast international picked up 10 assists in all competitions last season and ranked in the 90th percentile for expected assists.
The striker is more than capable of holding the ball up and could even be deployed as a shadow striker behind Watkins, in the same vein as Olivier Giroud and Antoine Griezmann’s connection for France.
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