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Aston Villa 'agree' €24m transfer as Unai Emery waits on green light

· John Townley · 2026-08-06 · nguồn gốc

Aston Villa have reportedly reached an agreement with Atletico Madrid to sign Matteo Ruggeri. However, the left-back is yet to agree personal terms with Unai Emery's side after being identified as the replacement for Lucas Digne. Digne is set to join Paris Saint-Germain in a deal expected to raise around £8 million for Villa, with those funds likely to be reinvested in the move for Ruggeri. According to Marca, Villa have agreed a deal worth €18 million, plus a further €6 million in add-ons, to sign the Italian defender. Ruggeri only joined Atletico from Atalanta last summer but struggled to produce his best form and has been made available for transfer during the current window. Atletico have already signed Alex Grimaldo as his replacement, and Villa now believe there is an opportunity to bring Ruggeri to Villa Park. AC Milan's Pervis Estupiñán has also been identified as a target, a move that would have reunited the Ecuador international with Emery following their time together at Villarreal. However, Ruben Amorim opted to take a closer look at Estupiñán during pre-season. Despite falling out of favour, Ruggeri still made 47 appearances for Atletico last season, starting 20 La Liga matches and 13 of the club's 16 Champions League fixtures, including both semi-final legs against Arsenal. Before his move to the Spanish capital, Ruggeri primarily operated as a left wing-back under Gian Piero Gasperini. He made 109 first-team appearances for Atalanta after progressing through the club's academy.