Evann Guessand has unique opportunity to end worrying Aston Villa trend as transfer confirmed
Aston Villa have now completed the signing of Evann Guessand from OGC Nice.
Guessand joins for around £30.5 million, making him Villa’s first significant transfer in what has been a difficult summer window.
Aston Villa were targeting a forward following the departure of Marcus Rashford and the uncertain future of Ollie Watkins, and have now beaten several clubs to his signature.
The 24-year-old performed well in Ligue 1 last season, but he will have to buck one concerning Aston Villa trend if he is to succeed in England.
Aston Villa have mixed record with Ligue 1 signings
A lot of players have succeeded in the Premier League after joining directly from Ligue 1, but many have failed to adapt, and this was the case for several Villa signings in the past.
Guessand will become the eighth player to move to Villa Park directly from France, but there is a mixed bag of success with the previous seven.
- Boubacar Kamara is the only one still at the club, and having recently signed a new deal, the former Marseille midfielder can be considered a success.
- However, out of the other seven, just two can be considered good signings, with the rest all failing to deliver good performances, and a few suffering relegation in 2016.
| Player | Joined from | Verdict |
| Jordan Veretout | Nantes | Flop |
| Idrissa Gana Gueye | Lille | Good |
| Jordan Ayew | Lorient | Flop |
| Jordan Amavi | Nice | Flop |
| Morgan Sanson | Marseille | Flop |
| Bertrand Traore | Lyon | Good |
| Boubacar Kamara | Marseille | Success |
Idrissa Gana Gueye performed very well in a Villa shirt, but lasted just one season as he was in the side which was relegated under Remi Garde.
Bertrand Traore had some brilliant moments for Villa before eventually joining Villarreal, and would not be considered a flop.
However, the rest all failed to succeed, with some in the side which was relegated, while injuries prevented Sanson from showing his best ability.
Guessand may need time to settle
Unai Emery may need to be patient with Guessand as he adapts to the rigours of the Premier League, as well as the pressure of leading the line for Villa.
If Watkins stays, then the Ivory Coast star Guessand can be eased in over the course of the season, but if the Villa top scorer departs, Guessand might have to be thrust straight into the side.
The attacker scored 12 goals in 30 league starts last season, and a similar total in his first season at Villa would be respectable if he can establish himself as a regular starter, and end the previous trend of Ligue 1 players struggling at Villa Park.
Sign up for the Villa News WhatsApp channel and turn on notifications to have all the latest, breaking Aston Villa news sent straight to your phone.