{
  "id": 668393,
  "title": "Villa close in on Atletico defender Ruggeri",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/12/villa-close-in-on-atletico-defender-ruggeri",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-08-12T13:56:24.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "BBC Sport",
    "slug": "bbc-sport",
    "url": "https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/c1j12xypl19o?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "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.",
  "summary": "Aston Villa close in on the signing of Atletico Madrid defender Matteo Ruggeri.",
  "key_points": [
    "Aston Villa close to signing Atletico Madrid's Matteo Ruggeri.",
    "24-year-old left-back Ruggeri expected to transfer from Atletico.",
    "Ruggeri will fill void left by Lucas Digne, set for Super Cup clash."
  ],
  "editors_take": "Matteo Ruggeri's impending transfer to Aston Villa addresses the team's need for a more robust left-back, filling the gap left by Lucas Digne's departure.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "BBC Sport Football",
        "title": "Villa close in on Atletico defender Ruggeri",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/12/villa-close-in-on-atletico-defender-ruggeri-675759",
        "published": "2026-08-12T13:56:24.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}