Everything you need to know about new Aston Villa signing Matteo Ruggeri

Villa have completed the transfer of Matteo Ruggeri from Atlético Madrid

Aston Villa have confirmed the signing of Italian left-back Matteo Ruggeri from Spanish side Atlético Madrid.

Villa will pay a reported fee in the region of £17 million for Ruggeri, who joins Ian Maatsen at left-back after the sale of Lucas Digne to Paris Saint-Germain earlier this summer.

Unai Emery now has legitimate options and competition on the left side of defence, with Ruggeri’s acquisition restoring the availability of an alternative even as Maatsen himself logs a series of positive pre-season performances as Villa’s de facto first choice.

Naturally, the transfer fee involved suggests that Ruggeri will go straight into the starting line-up but then the same was assumed after the admittedly complicated deal that brought Maatsen to Villa Park.