Fiorentina Eye January Move for Aston Villa Left-Back Matteo Ruggeri

Fiorentina Weigh Up Left-Back Options

Fiorentina are reportedly considering a January approach for Aston Villa defender Matteo Ruggeri, with doubts lingering over whether Fabiano Parisi can provide a dependable answer at left-back.

According to Italian outlet Firenze Viola, La Viola could revisit their summer interest in the 23-year-old. Villa won the race, paying €25m (plus €1.5m in add-ons) to sign him from Atletico Madrid.

Valdepenas Filling the Gap

Options on the left are thin in Florence. Summer arrival Victor Valdepenas, naturally a centre-back, has deputised at left-back during Parisi’s absence and coped reasonably well. Should Parisi’s return from injury fall short, Ruggeri could quickly return to the shortlist.

Why Aston Villa Are Unlikely to Sell

Any deal looks far from straightforward. Ruggeri has been on the bench for Villa’s last four matches, but that does not suggest the club want to cash in. Villa handed him a long-term contract, and Unai Emery reportedly still rates him highly.

He has played just 113 Premier League minutes so far, though his involvement may grow as the season develops.

Our View

In our opinion, this looks more like contingency planning than a serious pursuit. Villa have little reason to negotiate so soon after paying a sizeable fee, and unless Parisi struggles badly, we expect Fiorentina to look elsewhere for reinforcements.