Aston Villa are now closer than ever to signing Matteo Ruggeri, having struck an agreement in principle with Atletico Madrid.

The Villans have been on the hunt for a left-back ever since the departure of Lucas Digne and are set to increase their summer spending even further to get exactly that.

Already, Unai Emery has welcomed Johan Manzambi, Joao Gomes, Alejandro Garnacho and others. Now, Ruggeri looks destined to solve his left-back problem.

The 6'2 defender is a Europa League winner and, at just 24 years old, could even become an upgrade on Digne if all goes to plan at Villa Park this summer.

The numbers show that Ruggeri still has a lot of work to do, but the potential is there. An experienced international at youth and U21 level but yet to make his senior bow, his most impressive trait comes out of possession when recovering the ball. With almost five recoveries per game last season, the Italian will fit right into Emery's preferred style.

What does need work is his duel success. Ruggeri won just 44.2% of his duels last season and that is not a good sign for a fullback, who will find themselves one-on-one for the majority of the game.

Aston Villa clearly believe the positives outweigh the negatives, however, after reaching a breakthrough in pursuit of the defender.

Aston Villa reach agreement to sign Matteo Ruggeri

As reported by Spanish journalist Ruben Uria, Aston Villa have reached an agreement to sign Ruggeri from Atletico Madrid in a deal worth €25m (£21m). The Villans are now just one step away from securing the defender, with negotiations over personal terms yet to reach a conclusion.

Should those talks end positively, then the left-back will be on his way to the Midlands. One good sign on that front is that Ruggeri is not expected to travel with Atletico Madrid to take part in their Korean tour. That suggests his exit is certainly on the cards.

With less than a month until the transfer window slams shut, Emery looks destined to welcome another impressive player at the peak of his powers.

Aston Villa readying move for Teun Koopmeiners

After Ruggeri, Aston Villa are turning their focus back to midfield, with Teun Koopmeiners in their sights. The Midlands club are reportedly positioning themselves to sign the Dutchman from Juventus as they look to replace Tielemans.

They've already welcomed Gomes and Manzambi in midfield, but are still looking for one more name. With plenty of experience at the top level, Koopmeiners could prove to be the final piece to the puzzle for Emery in his new-look side.