Aston Villa has completed the signing of 24-year-old Ivory Coast forward Evann Guessand from OGC Nice for €35 million, bonuses included. The player agreed a five-year deal with the Birmingham club after scoring 12 league goals last season and attracting interest during the January window. The move is one of the largest sales in Nice’s history and continues Villa’s summer recruitment drive as the Premier League side seeks to build on last season’s sixth-place finish. In a separate Ligue 1 transaction, AS Monaco reached an agreement with Bayer Leverkusen goalkeeper Lukáš Hrádecký. The Finland international will join the Principality side on a two-year contract for an initial €2 million fee, with a potential €1 million in add-ons.