Town target Angelos Charisteas's agents are reported to have held talks with Stoke City manager Tony Pulis after the Potters' 1-0 defeat to Nuremberg in Austria on Tuesday. Charisteas netted the winning goal in that game and appears to have impressed Pulis with his performance.
However, it is believed that the fee Nuremberg want for Greece's Euro 2004 hero and the player's personal terms are beyond what Stoke are willing to pay.
Town are understood to have made a bid to Nuremberg of €3.5 million (£2.7 millon) for the 28-year-old with Greek reports claiming a three-year deal worth €1.6 million a year (around £20,000-a-week) was on offer to the player.
Charisteas has repeatedly said that he wants to stay with relegated Nuremberg, although he has also stated that a move to England or Spain could tempt him. A switch to a top division side either here or elsewhere is more likely to lure him away from Nuremberg than a move to another side in a second division.
Nuremberg are keen to sell Charisteas to raise cash after dropping out of the Bundesliga last season. They have also now completed the signing of Christian Eigler from Arminia Bielefeld, a player who is seen as Charisteas's replacement if and when he leaves.