Sources around the internet, including Variety are reporting that YouTube is nearing a deal to buy streaming site Twitch for $1 billion. The deal is purported to be an all cash offer that would close imminently. Countering this, The Wall Street Journal has released a report stating that discussions on this deal are early. If such a deal does go through, it would pull a massive amount of traffic firmly into the Google stable.YouTube  missed out on the rise of streaming, and Twitch is the premier destination for the folks that want to see all manner of games played live. Twitch functionality has even been built into both the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One consoles, and theres no doubt that YouTube would like to aggregate all of that traffic, and ad revenue, under on easily controllable Google colored umbrella.

Naturally, spokespeople for both Twitch and YouTube have declined comment. And, of course, rumor also has it that if the deal really is in the works, Google is already lawyering up to combat the likely regulatory challenges.

Stay tuned to Sanitarium.fm for the latest on this story.