Villa close in on Atletico defender Ruggeri

Aston Villa is nearing the completion of a deal to sign Atletico Madrid's Matteo Ruggeri. The 24-year-old left-back is anticipated to transfer to Villa Park following a one-season stint at Atletico. Ruggeri's arrival will fill the void left by Lucas Digne, who recently moved back to Paris St-Germain for a fee of £8.5 million. Digne may face Villa in the Super Cup, set to take place in Salzburg on Wednesday.

Manager Unai Emery aims to secure his first Super Cup triumph after suffering three losses in finals. Villa has been seeking to bolster their left-back department, with a particular focus on finding a more robust player. AC Milan's Pervis Estupinan, who previously played under Emery at Villarreal, was another option Villa considered.

Ian Maatsen is set to start in the upcoming match against Paris St-Germain at the Red Bull Arena in Austria. Ruggeri registered 47 appearances for Atletico last season after joining from Atalanta in the previous summer. He signed a five-year contract with Atletico and led them to a fourth-place finish in La Liga. Atalanta's Ruggeri also won the Europa League in 2024 and was included in the competition's team of the season.

Prior to his professional career, Ruggeri represented Italy's youth teams and received his first senior call-up in March 2025, although he has not yet made his debut for the national team.