Aston Villa are plotting a swoop to sign Watford midfielder Nathaniel Chalobah on loan, according to BBC journalist Simon Stone.
The reporter claimed via his personal Twitter account on Tuesday that Dean Smith wants to add to his midfield before the January transfer window slams shut on Thursday.
.@AVFCOfficial are considering a loan move for @WatfordFC England midfielder Nathaniel Chalobah. 24-year-old has not started in the Premier League since a home defeat by Manchester City. Villa boss Dean Smith wants midfield options. Burnley’s Ben Gibson also on radar.
— Simon Stone (@sistoney67) January 29, 2019
Chalobah, 24, has not played for Watford since the middle of December due to injury.
Good move for Aston Villa?
If Chalobah is fully fit and ready to play then yes, he will be a fantastic addition for Aston Villa.
The former Chelsea midfielder earned his first senior cap for England in October 2018 when he came off the bench in the 3-2 win against Spain in the UEFA Nations League.
If he is that highly-regard by Gareth Southgate then he is definitely good enough for the Villains, who need all the help they can get to revive their bid for promotion this season.
Smith’s midfield is lacking a quality defensive midfielder and Chalobah could be a major upgrade on what he already has at his disposal.
This is Futbol rating 9/10
Likely to happen?
At the moment it seems that Villa are at an early stage in their interest in Chalobah and no concrete move has been made so until there is progress, it’s hard to say how likely this deal could be.
Watford could be keen on keeping hold of the England midfielder until the end of the season as he can be a key player for them once he returns from injury.
The 24-year-old has made just 10 first team appearances this season, so maybe there is a loan deal on the cards.
This is Futbol rating 4/10