Aston Villa close in on Matteo Ruggeri after Atletico agreement

Aston Villa have reached an agreement with Atletico Madrid for Matteo Ruggeri, according to Marca. The Premier League club will pay €18m plus €6m in add-ons for the Italian left-back, who is nearing a move to Villa Park. The 23-year-old will not be part of Atletico's preseason tour in South Korea as the transfer reaches its final stages. Earlier reports also indicated that Juventus had decided against continuing to pursue the defender. Ruggeri made 47 appearances across all competitions in the 2025/26 season and registered seven assists.