Aston Villa have emerged as frontrunners to sign Borussia Dortmund’s Serhou Guirassy with the striker’s preference for European football working firmly in their favour.
BILD report Villa and Fenerbahce are the “hottest prospects” leading the race for the 28-goal contribution striker
Guirassy favours staying in Europe over Saudi interest giving Villa a critical advantage
The Guinea international scored 22 goals and contributed six assists across 46 Dortmund appearances this season
Dortmund insist they want to keep him but his contract runs until 2028 and Transfermarkt value him at €32m
From interest to frontrunners. A significant escalation
When ReadAstonVilla first covered Villa’s interest in Guirassy earlier this month, the framing was one of several clubs monitoring the situation. The latest BILD report represents a meaningful and specific escalation. Villa are no longer simply interested. They are frontrunners described alongside Fenerbahce as the “hottest prospects” in a pursuit that also involves unnamed Saudi clubs and other European parties.
That specific shift in language reflects genuine and active recruitment work rather than exploratory interest. Emery’s recruitment team have identified Guirassy as a priority. Contact has been made. The groundwork for a formal offer is being laid. The transfer window opening timeline European windows moving significantly ahead of Saudi Arabia’s July 22nd date gives Villa a structural advantage over Middle Eastern rivals that the player’s own preference reinforces emphatically.
The player preference is Europe over Saudi
The most important update in BILD’s reporting is Guirassy’s own position. Several Saudi clubs have made their interest clear. The Guinea international has listened. And then decided. He favours staying in Europe. That specific preference delivered at a moment when Saudi money represents the most financially rewarding option available, reflects a player prioritising sporting ambition over financial maximisation.
For Villa, that preference is the single most encouraging development in the entire pursuit. A striker who wants Champions League football over a Saudi cheque is a striker who will be receptive to Villa’s specific pitch of European competition, an elite manager, a system built around a proven number nine, and the opportunity to partner with Ollie Watkins in one of the Premier League’s most dangerous forward lines.
The numbers: 28 goal contributions in one season
Guirassy’s 2025-26 Dortmund statistics require no embellishment. Twenty-two goals and six assists from 46 appearances. Twenty-eight direct goal contributions from a striker who has now delivered consistently at the highest level of Bundesliga football across two consecutive seasons. His Transfermarkt valuation of €32m significantly understates his actual market value a discrepancy both Dortmund and interested clubs are acutely aware of.
The specific profile he would bring to Villa’s forward line addresses a genuine and specific need. Watkins remains Villa’s undisputed first choice. Tammy Abraham who recently underwent surgery, provides backup but is currently recovering. Guirassy’s arrival would give Emery three genuine senior striker options across a Champions League campaign that will demand rotation across 50-plus fixtures.
Dortmund’s stance. Genuine or tactical?
Lars Ricken’s public position has been consistent and firm. “We have no intention of letting him leave. He has impressively demonstrated his value over the last two seasons.” However, the specific financial reality cannot be ignored. Guirassy’s contract runs until 2028. Dortmund did not qualify for the Champions League. Their ability to retain a player of his quality and wage demands without elite European football to offer, will be tested significantly if Villa submit a formal offer in the region of his market value.
Ricken’s statements may reflect genuine desire to retain a key asset. They may equally reflect a negotiating posture designed to maximise any eventual transfer fee. The distinction will become clear the moment Villa submit their opening bid.
ReadAstonVilla Verdict
Frontrunner status. A player who prefers Europe. A Saudi window that opens too late to compete. Dortmund’s financial reality without Champions League football. Every contextual factor points toward this deal being achievable. Villa must move quickly, submit a formal offer, match Guirassy’s European ambitions, and close a deal that gives Emery the striker depth his Champions League campaign demands. The third Dortmund signing of the summer. Get it done.