Sep 3 (THAINDIAN NEWS) Speculations are rife that singer Jennifer Lopez is very close to signing a deal with the musical reality show American Idol to feature as a judge.

Earlier there were reports that she was one of the celebrities in contention for the position, but later there were reports to the contrary. However now there are reports by TMZ which state that the negotiations have started all over again and the singer-actress is very close to signing a deal with the producers of the show. According to a source, Jennifer Lopez is abstaining from her starry tantrums and “It’s been typical negotiating.”

After the exit of Simon Cowell and Ellen from the show there has been widespread speculation about which celeb would finally step in to fill the empty slots. It was quite a surprise when Ellen had revealed her decision to quit the show. Later on her website she clarified and said that it “didn’t feel like the right fit for me. I loved the experience working on ‘Idol’ and I am very grateful for the year I had. I am a huge fan of the show and will continue to be.”

According to TMZ, the deal with Jennifer Lopez is very much on the table and unless there is ” a last-minute snag (which is highly unlikely) the deal could be inked as early as next week.”