Biography

A Gym youth academy graduate, Evann made his first-team debut in the January 2020 Coupe de France tie against Fréjus-Saint-Raphaël. Sent on loan to Lausanne-Sport for the 2020/21 season, the forward enjoyed a first full season in Switzerland alongside fellow loanee Lucas Da Cunha, scoring seven goals and delivering five assists in 35 appearances.

Back in Nice in summer 2021, he extended his contract to ensure his long-term future is with the club where he came through the youth academy. For his first full season in the Côte d'Azur, Guessand was part of the first-team's established attackers along with Delort, Dolberg and Gouiri. The Ajaccio-born forward often came off the bench to good effect, and netted the matchwinner in the incredible victory against Lyon (3-2). In 20 Ligue 1 appearances, the forward also registered two assists.

On loan to Nantes for the duration of the 2022-2023 season, the striker has made a name for himself both up front and on the wings. Guessand scored five goals in 44 games, including a decisive strike in his first European match, as Nantes beat Olympiakos 2-1 to open their Europa League campaign. The 21-year-old striker gained further experience over the course of a season that saw him take part in the double-header against Juventus in the Europa League, as well as Nantes' run in the Coupe de France, which ended in the final against Toulouse.

On his return to Nice, Guessand really took off, in two stages. Firstly, by accumulating playing time under Francesco Farioli in 2023-24 (38 matches), and by showing himself to be increasingly decisive (7 goals, 2 assists). This led to his first cap for Côte d'Ivoire, against Kenya on June 11, 2024.

The striker really exploded under Franck Haise. After extending his contract until 2028 on August 21, 2024, he took on a new dimension and became the Gym's attacking leader. A decisive player, Guessand is the coach's most-used outfield player, clocking up 3075 minutes in 42 matches (all competitions combined). A regular, he was the group's top scorer (13 goals, 12 in L1) and provided 8 assists (7 in L1), earning him the Aiglon of the season award from the red and black fans, along with Youssouf Ndayishimiye.