Aston Villa have now reached a “verbal agreement” to sign a new player for Unai Emery after having a big-money “bid accepted”, as per Fabrizio Romano.

Aston Villa’s quiet summer so far

The Villans, Monchi and NSWE have been unusually quiet so far in the transfer window, bringing in four new players. Yasin Ozcan, Zepiqueno Redmond, Marco Bizot Brest and Modou Keba Cisse have been brought in from Kasimpasa, Feyenoord, Brest and LASK respectively.

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Ozcan has since been sent on loan to Anderlecht, and transfer activity looks set to increase between now and the September 1 deadline.

However, Emery has recently admitted that Villa “don’t have the same power economically” as some of their rivals at the top of the Premier League.

“We need to join some players in the level we want to achieve, but we don’t have the same power economically like seven other teams in the Premier League.

“We must be more intelligent and anticipate something. It is very exciting, the work for me and the club. We are really improving and meeting our objectives, but there is still work to do. We have to be demanding and intelligent.”

Despite Villa’s constant PSR concerns, they now look set to splash the cash on one particular target in their most expensive deal of the window.

Aston Villa have £30m+ "bid accepted" for Evann Guessand

Transfer expert Romano took to X on Monday to share a big transfer breakthrough out of Villa Park. He revealed that Aston Villa have reached a “verbal agreement” after having a “bid accepted” to sign Evann Guessand from OGC Nice.

Guessand now has permission to travel to the Midlands, with a medical and contract signing the next steps ahead of a €35m (£30.4m) transfer.

An Ivory Coast international, Guessand is primarily a centre-forward but can also play on either wing if required, so he’ll provide Emery with a versatile attacking option.

The 24-year-old is valued at a career-high €25m by Transfermarkt, so although Villa are paying over that figure, they are getting a forward who has just enjoyed his best season in front of goal.

He netted 12 Ligue 1 goals and registered nine assists in 33 appearances, while also playing in the Europa League, scoring once.

The Athletic’s Alex Barker has called Guessand an “unpredictable” attacker who is a “real physical handful”, while adding that he is “capable of knocking the ball past opponents and overtaking them through pace”.

It looks as if Villa will soon have an exciting new forward on the Villa Park books, providing real competition to Ollie Watkins in the process.