Aston Villa are on the verge of completing the signing of Atletico Madrid defender Matteo Ruggeri, with the deal for the 24-year-old left-back reportedly progressing well. The Italian is expected to depart the Spanish capital after only one season with the club and make the move to Villa Park.
Ruggeri's arrival would come as a direct replacement for Lucas Digne, who has already sealed an £8.5m return to Paris St-Germain, finalising his transfer on Sunday. In an intriguing twist, Digne could find himself lining up against his former club when Villa face PSG in the Super Cup at the Red Bull Arena in Salzburg on Wednesday.
For Villa boss Unai Emery, the fixture carries extra significance. The Spaniard is chasing his first Super Cup triumph after losing all three of his previous finals in the competition, and he will be eager to start this new campaign with silverware in hand.
The pursuit of Ruggeri fits into a broader strategy at Villa Park this summer, as the club has been actively working to strengthen its left-back department. Emery and his recruitment team have prioritised adding greater physical presence to that position, and Ruggeri was not the only name on their radar. Villa had also shown interest in AC Milan's Pervis Estupinan, a player Emery previously worked with during his time at Villarreal, though it is the Atletico defender who now appears closest to completing a move.
Until Ruggeri's signing is finalised, Ian Maatsen is set to continue in the left-back role, and he is expected to start against PSG in Austria.
Ruggeri's move to Villa would mark the end of a brief but productive stint in Madrid. He joined Atletico from Atalanta last summer on a five-year contract and quickly established himself as a regular, making 47 appearances across all competitions during the 2024-25 season. Atletico finished fourth in La Liga and reached the Copa del Rey final, though they ultimately fell to Real Sociedad on penalties.
Before his switch to Atletico, Ruggeri enjoyed a standout campaign with Atalanta, helping the club lift the Europa League title in 2024. His performances throughout that European run earned him a place in the competition's official team of the season, underlining his growing reputation as one of the more promising young full-backs in Italian football.
Ruggeri has progressed through various Italy youth setups and received his first call-up to the senior national team in March 2025, though he has yet to make his debut at that level. A move to the Premier League with Villa would represent a significant step in his career, offering him the chance to compete regularly in one of Europe's top leagues while continuing his development under Emery's guidance.
With Digne departed and Ruggeri's arrival imminent, Villa appear to be reshaping their defensive options ahead of what promises to be another demanding season on multiple fronts, starting with Wednesday's Super Cup test against a PSG side that now includes Villa's former left-back among its ranks.
Based on reporting from BBC Sport.