NOTTINGHAM FOREST star Henri Lansbury has been left in limbo as a war at the top of club has blocked his departure.

Lansbury, who out of contract in the summer, is keen to leave the City ground as Forest struggle at the wrong end of the Championship, just two points above the drop zone.

4 Nottingham Forest captain Henri Lansbury is wanted by Aston Villa and Derby Credit: Reuters

A deal to join Aston Villa has been agreed by current owner Fawaz Al Hasawi, the player has already agreed personal terms to move to the west midlands to link up with Steve Bruce.

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But the stumbling block now is the perspective new American owners led by John Jay Moores and Charles Noell, who have thrown a spanner in the works with advanced talks to sell Lansbury to local rivals Derby.

4 Fawaz al-Hasawi will not allow Henri Lansbury to join Derby

SunSport exclusively revealed the Rams interest in Lansbury last month and Forest have so rebuffed Steve McClaren's advances during the current window.

Premier League outfit Watford and Birmingham City have also been monitoring the situation as Forest seem resigned to losing their influential play maker this month or in then summer, despite talks of a new deal to extend his stay at the City ground beyond this season.

Fawaz seems to be more in tune with Forest fans by declaring he will never sell the club captain who has scored six league goals this season to bitter local rivals at any price.

However the Americans have failed to understand the historical rivalry between the two east midlands clubs by entering into discussion with the Rams who are keen to land the former Arsenal man.

4 John Jay Moores is prepared to sell Lansbury to anyone including Derby

4 Lansbury is out of contract this summer and keen to join Villa Credit: PA:Press Association

The impasse at the City ground has halted any move this window and could even put the takeover of the club by the Americans in jeopardy.

Fawaz is still in control of the club while the takeover that both parties thought would have been completed by now goes on.

But while this process has been taking place, John Jay Moores and co have been trying to exert some influence on the day to day running of club business.