Antonio Conte has explained how his focus remains solely on improving his options at Tottenham Hotspur instead of fearing who local rivals Arsenal could sign before the transfer window's close.
There is every chance that the next time Spurs face the Gunners Mikel Arteta's men will be spearheaded by Serbian striker Dusan Vlahovic providing they can get a deal done in the next 11 days.
However, Spurs are also thought to be interested in the 21-year-old and with sporting director Fabio Paratici having a contact book littered with Serie A titans, prying Vlahovic away from Fiorentina could prove easier for Tottenham.
Recent reports have suggested Vlahovic would actually prefer to work under Conte, but that has not deterred Arsenal in their pursuit of the forward.
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The north London derby scheduled for Sunday, January 16 was postponed at Arsenal's request after the Gunners did not have enough players to fulfil the fixture due to factors such as injuries, international duty and cases of Covid-19.
As a result, it is likely the rearranged clash will come long after the January transfer window has closed and potential new additions have settled into their respective squads.
This means there is a possibility Vlahovic could be donning the famous red of Arsenal by the time Arteta's men make the short trip across north London to take on their neighbours.
Conte was asked about the idea of facing the in-form Serbia international before Tottenham's dramatic last-gasp comeback victory away at Leicester City.
"I don’t like to speak about players of other clubs," the Italian explained.
"Also, even if other clubs are interested in these players, we have our own problems to solve. We have to focus on ourselves, it’s the best way to move forward."
According to a number of reports in Italy, Arsenal have already put forward one offer for Fiorentina's star man that involved a £50m fee and keeping Gunners midfielder Lucas Torreira in Florence on a permanent basis once his current loan spell ends.
While it is thought Fiorentina are willing to sanction his departure due to the fact he only has 18 months left to run on his current deal, the delay in negotiations stems from both the player and his agent.
Vlahovic is rumoured to favour remaining in Italy by switching to Serie A titans Juventus and even then is still reluctant over upping sticks mid-season.
The striker's agent is also reportedly demanding an astronomical signing-on fee which could hamper any potential switch to either club in north London.
