Aston Villa

Nick Mashiter
Football reporter in Salzburg

Image source, Getty Images

Aston Villa are closing in on signing Atletico Madrid defender Matteo Ruggeri.

A deal for the 24-year-old left-back is progressing and he is expected to move to Villa Park after just a season at the Metropolitano.

He will replace Lucas Digne, who completed an £8.5m return to Paris St-Germain on Sunday and could face Villa in the Super Cup on Wednesday night (20:00 BST).

Villa had been looking to revamp their left-back options this summer and were looking for more physicality in the position, having also been interested in AC Milan's Pervis Estupinan, who played for Unai Emery at Villarreal.

Ruggeri made 47 appearances for Atletico last season, after joining from Atalanta last summer and signing a five-year deal, as they finished fourth in La Liga and lost the Copa del Rey final on penalties to Real Sociedad.

He won the Europa League with Atalanta in 2024, while also being named in the competition's Team of the Season.

Nick Mashiter
Football reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Villa supporters were queuing for a boat trip on the Salzach river this morning while many gathered around Makartsteg Bridge in the middle of Salzbug.

The club had a ticket allocation of just under 7,000 for Wednesday's Super Cup against PSG.

The belief behind Unai Emery is unwavering, despite a summer of change which has seen Morgan Rogers, Youri Tielemans and Lucas Digne depart.

Add to that a shift in Emery's backroom team, with assistant Paco Ayestaran and key set-piece coach Austin McPhee, who has joined Chelsea, among those to have left.

But Emery remains, vital to Villa's hopes having dragged them from a relegation battle to Europa League winners in three-and-a-half years.

It is because of Emery that expectation levels remain and captain John McGinn says they should not wane.

"Similar to where it's been in the past few seasons," he said, when asked what fans should expect.

"I think we've consistently competed with the best in England. I think we've consistently competed with the best in Europe no matter what the competition is.

"We'll have our challenges, there's a lot of change, but when you look at other clubs around England, there's a lot of change there as well – a lot of coaches changing, a lot of players changing.

"We've still got the same hunger and desire to go and achieve more and as long as we've got the hunger and desire to do that, Aston Villa fans can expect as much as possible."

Aston Villa are playing in their first Super Cup since beating Barcelona in 1982 and you will get reaction aplenty on this, your Aston Villa page.

Unai Emery is the king of the Europa League.

He won a fifth title with Aston Villa in May - their win over Freiburg in Istanbul ending a 30-year trophy drought - but the Super Cup has eluded him.

On Wednesday in Salzburg Emery tries for a fourth time to win the competition, when Villa face Champions League winners Paris St-Germain.

Last season Emery declared he wanted to seal third place in the Premier League because he had not achieved it with Villa.

Finishing fourth was not a failure but it will have rankled with perfectionist Emery.

It will be the same with the Super Cup, but is the competition a glorified friendly or does it really matter?

Emery has suffered defeats by Real Madrid, Barcelona and Chelsea - the first two with Sevilla, and then losing on penalties to the Blues in Belfast with Villarreal in 2021.

A 5-4 extra-time loss to a Lionel Messi-inspired Barcelona in 2015 came a year after Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice to earn Real Madrid the trophy.

Emery had already left for PSG by the time Sevilla lost the 2016 Super Cup to Real.

But, at Red Bull Arena against his former side and with 6,000 Villa fans travelling, he has the chance to break his losing streak.

"He [pointing to Villa captain John McGinn] was reminding me last week [about losing to Chelsea]," said Emery.

"Of course, it's an opportunity. A trophy is something that can give us a special moment. To play for trophies is, as a professional, our objective.

"PSG are the favourites but I am looking forward to playing, how we can test this match against PSG with our capacity?

"As a coach, as a player, as a club, it's a trophy. It's one thing that makes us proud of how we are and how we arrive here."

• Read more on Villa and the Super Cup

Nick Mashiter in Salzburg
Football reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Aston Villa boss Unai Emery confirmed Ollie Watkins, Ezri Konsa and Emi Martinez have not travelled to Austria for the Super Cup.

Villa face Paris St-Germain on Wednesday in Salzburg but will be without the trio after the World Cup.

Konsa and Watkins helped England finish third while Martinez's Argentina were beaten by Spain in the final.

Emery said: "They are not here Konsa, Watkins and Martinez because they finished the season 19 July and I gave them four weeks to rest. It is completely necessary.

"If they were here maybe we could have more chances but at the same time PSG are going to be in the same situation.

"We are preparing this game with the players we started with four weeks ago, I expect to compete with them with our capacity. They are favourites."

• Listen to Emery's news conference

Record signing Johan Manzambi is also absent as he recovers from a knee injury and defender Victor Lindelof knows Villa's squad will be stretched as they look to compete in four competitions this season.

He said: "It's always going to be a challenging season when you play in Europe, that's what we want to do. We want to compete at the highest level, especially in Europe. I'm looking forward to it but you need a good squad as well, available and ready to perform.

"It's going to be many games during the season and I think the squad is ready for that."

Nick Mashiter
Football reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Aston Villa head into the Super Cup after a summer of change.

The record exit of Morgan Rogers to Chelsea along with Youri Tielemans' move to Manchester United and Lucas Digne's switch to Paris St-Germain represents the dawn of a new era.

Of course, May's Europa League win over Freiburg also brought a new chapter but for Villa's longevity and consistency the summer will have longer-term impacts.

Villa had been so consistent under Unai Emery, certainly in terms of the squad's make up and selection, and Wednesday's Super Cup with PSG will give another glimpse into how Emery can take them forward.

In Salzburg it is the ideal game to test how Villa go forward against the best, especially ahead of the start of the Champions League next month.

There is no Johan Manzambi, the record buy is still recovering from the knee injury he suffered with Switzerland at the World Cup. There is however the potential for a first competitive glance at Alejandro Garnacho since his loan move from Chelsea.

Joao Gomes, John McGinn, Ross Barkley and Boubacar Kamara complete the midfield options, the lack of depth highlighting why Villa are pursuing Bayern Munich's Joao Palhinha.

It all leads into an intriguing game where the result may be secondary, behind seeing how Villa gel and adapt.

Villa will be competing in the Super Cup for the first time since winning it in 1982 but Emery has not won the competition in three attempts, losing twice with Sevilla and once with Villarreal.

While this may be a night where looking to Villa's future is most important, you can be assured Emery's demanding nature will want to add the trophy to May's Europa League.

Nizaar Kinsella
Football reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Aston Villa are in talks over a move for Bayern Munich and Portugal midfielder Joao Palhinha.

The 31-year-old became a target for Unai Emery after Amadou Onana suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury to his right knee while playing for Belgium at the World Cup.

Sources close to Palhinha say he is yet to make a decision, but he is open to a move to Villa Park which is regarded as among his best options.

Bayern are willing to let him leave two years after signing him for £47.4m from Fulham. He was on loan at Tottenham last season but the club opted against triggering their £26m option to buy.

"Joao Palhinha is a very good player who would fit our plans," Aston Villa's director of football Damian Vidagany told German outlet Bild on Friday.

"We are in talks but there is currently no agreement. If something were to happen, it would always be based on the great respect we have for Bayern."

The comments come after Villa suffered a 2-1 loss to Bayern in a pre-season friendly, in which Palhinha featured as a substitute, in Hong Kong over the weekend.

Image source, Getty Images

It's the battle of the European champions when Aston Villa face Paris Saint-Germain in the Super Cup on Wednesday in Salzburg.

PSG, who are the holders after beating Tottenham 4-3 on penalties last year, will bid to become the fourth team to successfully retain the trophy.

This is Aston Villa's second appearance in the Super Cup, previously beating Barcelona 3-1 on aggregate in 1983 (0-1 away, 3-0 home).

And whilst Unai Emery is widely considered a European competition mastermind, he has less luck in the Super Cup.

He has lost all three of his appearances in this cup, including against Luis Enrique's Barcelona in 2015 whilst managing Sevilla.

That came a year after Sevilla lost to Barcelona, but before losing on penalties to Chelsea with Villarreal in 2021.

Villa go into this match looking to break the trend of Champions League holders coming out victorious too as the Europa League holders have won just once in the last 13 seasons.

Aston Villa and Roma have expressed an interest in signing Brazil forward Endrick, 22, on loan from Real Madrid. (AS - in Spanish), external

Rangers are exploring a deal for 20-year-old right-back Kosta Nedeljkovic from Villa. (Daily Record), external

The Scottish side are considering signing the Serbian defender on a season-long loan. (The Herald), external

Villa's Rory Wilson, 20, is among the targets for Swedish side Sirius alongside rivals IFK Gothenburg. The Scottish striker also has options in England and Spain. (Daily Record), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Monday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

Image source, Getty Images

Luis Diaz scored the decisive goal as Aston Villa were beaten by Bayern Munich in their pre-season friendly in Hong Kong.

German champions Bayern took the lead in the first half through Kim Min-jae's close-range effort.

Substitute Diaz doubled their lead with a fine curled finish which went in off the underside of the crossbar.

Villa pulled one back late on through Joao Gomes' well-taken finish from just outside the box.

The Brazil international joined Villa from neighbours Wolves last month in a £38m deal.

Tammy Abraham almost equalised but his header was well saved by Manuel Neuer.

Bayern played several youngsters, while regular starters Michael Olise and Harry Kane did not travel as they recover from the World Cup.

Sunderland are in pole position to sign Mozambique winger Geny Catamo from Sporting Lisbon, with Aston Villa, Brentford and Everton among the clubs with an eye on the 25-year-old. (Teamtalk), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Friday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

Aston Villa have reached an agreement with Atletico Madrid for Italian left-back Matteo Ruggeri, 24. (Marca - in Spanish), external

Villa are prepared for a fresh bid from Arsenal for England defender Ezri Konsa, 28, as they try to agree a new contract to keep him at Villa Park. (Mail), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Thursday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport