Aston Villa are nearing an agreement to secure the services of Atletico Madrid defender Matteo Ruggeri. The 24-year-old left-back is expected to join the Birmingham club following a solitary season in Spain. This transfer follows the departure of Lucas Digne, who secured an 8.5 million pound move to Paris St-Germain this past Sunday.
Manager Unai Emery has prioritized strengthening the left-back role this summer, seeking a player with greater physical presence. While the club previously considered AC Milan’s Pervis Estupinan, they have settled on Ruggeri. The Italian defender appeared 47 times for Atletico last season after arriving from Atalanta. His previous accolades include a 2024 Europa League title with Atalanta and a place in that tournament’s team of the season.
While Villa prepare for the Super Cup, Unai Emery hopes to capture the trophy for the first time in his career after three previous unsuccessful attempts. Ian Maatsen is slated to start in the upcoming match against PSG at the Red Bull Arena in Austria.