A frustrating update has emerged over mooted Tottenham Hotspur target Dusan Vlahovic this week which is sure to leave supporters gutted...

What's the word?

The Serbian striker is expected to leave Fiorentina after rejecting a new contract extension which would have made him their highest-paid player ever, but it seems his price tag may be out of reach for many teams across Europe.

Italian journalist Enrico Camelio told Calciomercato.it TV: "To date, Fiorentina is asking for off-market figures.

"In addition to what we read, no team is actually on the player. La Viola want to sell him, even if not in January. Vlahovic's representatives are very happy with this situation because they too are shooting high. The teams concerned all fled when they heard these figures. We are over 70m euros."

Fans surely gutted

Spurs are in need of attacking reinforcements in 2022 as Harry Kane currently does not have a senior backup, and as we saw on Thursday night, it's asking an awful lot to expect 17-year-old gem Dane Scarlett to step up and fill that void in the short-term.

Back in September, fellow Italian publication Calciomercato.com revealed that Vlahovic was Fabio Paratici's number one priority heading into the winter transfer window.

That's hardly a surprise as the 21-year-old forward scored 21 goals from 37 Serie A appearances last season and has continued that form into 2021/22 by finding the net six times across all competitions already, as per Transfermarkt.

At 6 foot 3, Vlahovic has earned comparisons to Zlatan Ibrahimovic and even been described as being 'up there' with Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland as one of the next young strikers to make their mark on Europe.

On that evidence alone, with his goalscoring record and touted potential, he's a prospective signing who would have much of the Lilywhites faithful absolutely excited, but there seems very little chance that the club can afford a fee in the region of £60m - especially for a backup striker.

Also dubbed a "complete number nine" by Serie A expert Conor Clancy to This is Futbol, it seems as if the Spurs fanbase will be left a little gutted by this latest development.

Nuno Santo needs alternatives in attack as he is playing a risky game if Kane picks up an injury in the near future, but considering the financial factors involved in a potential swoop for the £45m-rated Fiorentina sensation, it doesn't seem likely that Vlahovic is the answer.

AND in other news, £27m-rated "freak of a talent" facing fight to save Spurs career amid latest Nuno call...