Aston Villa have been dealt frustrating news, with Sky Sports reporter, Adam Leventhal revealing that Nathaniel Chalobah won't be leaving Watford before the transfer window closes. 

Leventhal broke the news on his Twitter page, and this seemingly puts and end to any speculation linking the 24-year-old with a move to the promotion chasing side.

It had previously been reported by Sky Sports that Aston Villa were interested in a deal to bring the Watford midfielder in on loan for the remainder of the season.

Chalobah has found regular game time hard to come by with Watford this season on his return from a lengthy injury lay-off, and this latest development will come as a surprise.

The former Chelsea man has made just six appearances in total for the Hornets and his future surely lies elsewhere, especially given that it seems unlikely he'll ever be a regular for the Premier League side.

He would have been the ideal signing for Dean Smith's side, as he could play either in the centre of midfield or in the heart of the Villa defence, so he is a versatile option to have in any squad.

The Aston Villa boss doesn't have much time to find an alternative, with the transfer window closing on Thursday evening, in what is likely to be a frantic last couple of hours at Villa Park.

The Verdict: 

This is a frustrating update for Aston Villa.

Chalobah would have been an excellent signing for any Championship club, and he could have been the missing piece in the promotion jigsaw for Dean Smith's side.

But the Aston Villa boss will have to act swiftly to find an alternative with deadline day approaching.