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A report has claimed that Barcelona veteran Jordi Alba has been issued with an ultimatum of needing to accept a reduction to his salary or leave the club this summer.

What's going on with Barcelona and Alba?

The veteran left-back has lost his place in the starting XI this term following the emergence of young sensation Alejandro Balde, but has still made 22 appearances in all competitions, with Xavi describing him as "key" earlier in the season.

With his contract running until 2024, it seemed that the Spaniard would stay until his deal expired, but these plans may have been scuppered as Barcelona's financial troubles continue to haunt them.

Alba had already taken a pay cut in 2021, reducing his salary by 25% and deferring a large part of his wages, but it now seems he will have to further lower his income if he wishes to stay at the club.

A report in SPORT confirmed this, claiming that Barcelona expect Alba to be understanding about the situation, which requires the club to significantly lower their wage bill, while other high earners such as Marc-Andre ter Stegen and Frenkie de Jong could be asked to follow suit.

If he does not agree to a reduction, he could be sold or even have his contract terminated in order to reduce the wage bill. With Balde a current starter and Marcos Alonso able to provide cover, it seems that Alba's standing within the squad has diminished despite being one of their longest-serving players.

Is it time for Alba to leave Barcelona?

The £355k-per-week star has made over 450 appearances for the club since arriving over ten years ago, and the former Valencia defender is arguably one of the finest full-backs in the history of the club.

Alba was part of the treble-winning side of 2014/15, and has won five La Liga titles during his time at Camp Nou.

The ultimatum issued to him may call an ugly end to what has been an incredibly successful period at Barcelona, but the problems with Financial Fair Play mean that sacrifices have to be made, and Alba is an unfortunate victim of previous mistakes at boardroom level.

He would follow the likes of Gerard Pique in departing the club, and if Sergio Busquets also leaves at the end of the season, it would mark the end of an era for the Blaugrana as three long-serving superstars would have all left in the space of two years following the departure of Lionel Messi.

Manchester United continue to make impressive progress under the guidance of manager Erik ten Hag, with the Dutchman having already claimed Carabao Cup glory with further silverware still up for grabs.

With the Red Devils still having plenty left to play for between now and the end of the season, the club are in a far stronger position that at the same stage last term, with interim boss Ralf Rangnick having overseen a dismal end to a rather dire campaign at Old Trafford.

Having crashed out in the early rounds of both domestic cup competitions, a Champions League, last-16 exit at the hands of Atletico Madrid in March 2022 only served to exacerbate the frustration surrounding the club, with the stop-gap appointment of the German visionary having failed to have the desired effect.

With the veteran's brief tenure not looked upon too fondly by supporters, one positive that may well have come during Rangnick's tenure was the signing of teenage midfielder, Toby Collyer, with the former Brighton and Hove Albion starlet one figure who could potentially be a star of the future at the Theatre of Dreams.

Who is Man United's Toby Collyer?

It is now just over a year on since young Collyer was snapped up by the Premier League outfit, although the promising 19-year-old is still waiting for his first taste of life at senior level, despite having been involved in first-team training on occasion.

That inclusion would appear to indicate that the Worthing-born gem is certainly on the radar of Ten Hag as the Dutchman seeks to build for the future, with the midfield department one area, in particular, that is seemingly in need of bolstering.

Manchester Evening News only recently revealed that a 'younger midfielder' could be targetted ahead of the summer window, with United likely to be plotting potential successors to the likes of Fred, Casemiro and Christian Eriksen – all of whom are in their thirties.

In order to help provide a fresh injection of youth in the squad, the former Ajax boss could look to the likes of Collyer as a possible option rather than splashing out millions in the transfer market, with the England youth international a potential hidden gem who is just waiting to be unleashed.

The former Seagulls star has made a quiet start to life in his new surroundings after making just 12 appearances in all competitions in the youth ranks this season, although was previously tipped for big things during his time on the south coast.

The defensive midfield asset was notably hailed by former Brighton U18 coach Mark Beard last year, who said of his talents: "You could see he was going to be a top-class player. He is a pleasure to coach. He is so low maintenance, what I mean by that is you don't know he is there."

"He gets on with his job. He regularly put in displays of 8/10 at the least. He had the best running stats, runs 13 kilometres a game, breaks things up. He is so unassuming, he gets on with his job. You want 11 of these type of players in the team. You know what you're going to get in training, he works hard, he wants to improve, he's intelligent. He's a good all-round kid."

Beard also dished out further praise for the youngster's defensive quality, having stated: "He plays like two men sometimes. As defensive midfielders go, and it is quite a disciplined role, he is probably the best in the country at doing it".

That glowing praise should well catch the attention of those back in Manchester, with Ten Hag potentially missing a trick by not handing Collyer a chance in the first-team, particularly with the midfield department having been stretched due to Eriksen's injury woes and with Casemiro having been inhibited by suspension.

With games set to come thick and fast once again when club action resumes this weekend, the United boss should think about handing an opportunity to the teen ace sooner rather than later.

Journalist Jacque Talbot has claimed that Tottenham Hotspur could be set for a big "boost" to their transfer funds if they allow a major investor to change the name of their stadium.

What's the latest on the naming rights for the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium?

Since it opened in April 2019, Spurs' 62,850-seater arena, which cost £1bn to make, has carried the rather unimaginative Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

However, as per Football Insider, while chairman Daniel Levy and commercial director Todd Kline are looking to find an appropriate naming rights partner, they are content to wait until their reserve price is met because the club brand is doing just fine for exposure in the meantime.

The article notes that Google and Amazon are among the companies linked with a possible £250m deal that would be spread over 10 years.

While talking about the situation on The Insider Track, Talbot backed Spurs to complete a deal that would massively help with funds.

He explained (16:52): “I'm sure that's going to boost their funds though, isn't it, really?

"Like if they get a deal with one of them companies, that’s going to be huge investments. So why not at this stage?

"Football's got to that point now where it's like everything's for sale, really? Isn't it? It's nothing on Spurs, every club's doing it."

How much will Spurs make from stadium naming rights?

As per reports, Levy wants to bring in £25m a year with the stadium naming rights – which would be a record amount for a football team.

That tallies with the claims from Football Insider that reference a £250m contract spread across ten years for the likes or Amazon or Google.

And so it will certainly be interesting to see what the next steps are and if anything happens soon. After all, while Levy is reportedly happy to be patient and wait for the right deal, the club may need major funding soon to maintain their ambitions.

After all, there is no guarantee Tottenham will finish in the top four this season – they sit in fourth just two points above Newcastle but have played two more games – and so if they can't bring Champions League football to north London, then surely the exposure won't be as good and naturally, they'll generate less income anyway.

With that in mind, perhaps Levy will try and intensify the search for a major new sponsor in the near future.

Frank Lampard’s second spell at Chelsea has started in dismal fashion.

There may well be a greater sense of optimism surrounding the club compared to the days of Graham Potter but at the moment, it very much feels as though the former Ostersunds boss is still at the helm.

Indeed, Lampard’s tenure has begun with consecutive defeats in which the Blues have failed to score.

That has been the story of Todd Boehly’s time as owner of Chelsea, with the west Londoners having found the net just 29 times in 30 Premier League outings, despite a spend of over £260m in the transfer market.

It’s fine evidence that money doesn’t buy you trophies. Instead, you need to meticulously go about your business in the market, purchasing players to suit a system.

At the moment, it doesn’t feel as though the Stamford Bridge outfit have any system or identity, with the two-time Champions League winners set to face another season away from Europe’s premier competition.

The only chance they have of securing a spot is if they win the tournament again this time around, although that now seems unlikely after a 2-0 defeat to Real Madrid in the first leg of their quarter-final.

Goals from Karim Benzema and Marco Asensio were enough for Carlo Ancelotti’s men who took full advantage of the hapless Kepa between the Chelsea sticks and Ben Chilwell’s second-half red card.

While both of those men are likely to take much of the blame for the loss in Spain, substitute Marc Cucurella also had a night to forget at the Bernabeu.

How did Cucurella play against Real Madrid?

Lampard threw the £175k-per-week left-back into the fray as a sub after the interval but the former Derby County boss must have been wishing he didn’t bother.

Indeed, Cucurella also had a part to play in Chilwell’s sending-off.

The Spaniard was clearly caught asleep in the middle of the pitch after being dragged wildly out of position by Rodrygo.

The Brazilian then cleverly span in behind, latching on to Fede Valverde’s delightful clipped ball, leaving Cucurella in his wake.

As a consequence, Chilwell was forced to dart back into the position the summer signing had vacated, leaving himself as the last man. Of course, the England international didn’t need to pull the Madrid star back, but he was arguably left with very little choice.

That moment ultimately proved to be key on the night, with the 24-year-old – who had fewer touches than Kepa during the game – criticised heavily by pundits and journalists alike.

The ever-outspoken Jamie O’Hara labelled the wing-back a “disgrace” for having “killed” Chelsea’s momentum while Chris Sutton suggested the former Brighton man had been “schooled” by Rodrygo prior to the red card.

The defender’s overall game was aptly summed up by BBC Sport’s Raj Chohan who noted: “Cucurella’s aggression is such an issue. Always mistiming his jumps out of the back 3. And doesn’t have the recovery pace to get back into position when it gets played around him.”

This isn’t the first time the 5 foot 8 ace has disappointed recently, with his shocking back pass being the reason Ollie Watkins was able to score in the defeat to Aston Villa a few weeks ago.

Cucurella’s drop-off in performance in the space of seven months or so has been remarkable. Only last season was he being eyed by Manchester City after his defensive partnership with Tariq Lamptey was described as “one of the best full-back pairings” in the entire league by Goal’s Mitch Wilks.

The £60m signing has clearly been a shadow since that review, with the ex-Getafe man set to go down as pound for pound one of the worst acquisitions in Chelsea’s recent history.

Manchester United loanee Marcel Sabitzer is pushing to complete a permanent Old Trafford move this summer, Football Insider report.

What’s the latest Man United transfer news on Sabitzer?

Sabitzer arrived on loan until the end of the season back in January from Bayern Munich, with the deal not including an option to make a transfer permanent over the coming months.

The Austrian has gone on to make 13 appearances under Erik ten Hag but missed Sunday’s 2-0 win over Nottingham Forest in the Premier League after pulling out through injury in the warm up.

The Red Devils were reportedly told that they would need to pay around £25m to make Sabitzer’s loan permanent, a fee that would need to be lowered for any chance of a transfer to materialise, but a further update has now emerged.

Football Insider reporter Pete O’Rourke shared an update on Sabitzer in the last 24 hours, revealing that the player is pushing for a full-time move to Manchester.

He adds that Ten Hag has been pleased with the 29-year-old, with a well-placed source telling the site that a permanent move now “has a good chance of happening”. There is a willingness from all parties involved to agree on a permanent transfer, as the player doesn’t feature in new Bayern boss Thomas Tuchel’s long-term plans.

Does a permanent transfer to Man United make sense?

Sabitzer starred in his last United appearance against Sevilla in the Europa League, netting twice in the 2-2 draw. The £211,000-a-week midfielder has made a positive impact at Old Trafford, with Diogo Dalot describing him as a "machine".

The Red Devils are after new midfield reinforcements this summer, so Sabitzer could come in on a permanent basis to bolster Ten Hag's options for the foreseeable future.

Scott McTominay has reportedly told the Old Trafford board that he wants to leave this summer, so Sabitzer may well be viewed as a permanent replacement for the Scot, with the loanee capable of turning out in a variety of midfield roles.

As per WhoScored, Sabitzer has actually outperformed Christian Eriksen, Fred and McTominay this season, showing how he could be a solid squad option going forward, with United on course to once again be playing in four separate competitions. The player is keen, Ten Hag has been impressed and all parties think a transfer can be completed, so it looks as if this could be one to follow closely.

نجح نجم فريق ليفربول، محمد صلاح، في تسجيل هدفين في مباراة ليفربول ضد نيوكاسل يونايتد في بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي، في الجولة العشرين.

وارتفع رصيد محمد صلاح من الأهداف إلى 14 هدفًا، بالتساوي مع النجم إيرلينج هالاند لاعب مانشستر سيتي.

كما تمكن نجم فريق توتنهام، سون هيونج مين، من تسجيل هدف في مباراة اليوم الأحد ضد بورنموث في بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

وارتفع رصيد الكوري الجنوبي من الأهداف إلى 12 في النسخة الحالية من الدوري الإنجليزي، بالتساوي مع دومينيك سولانكي لاعب بورنموث.

في حين يتصدر إيرلينج هالاند، لاعب مانشستر سيتي، قائمة الهدافين حاليًا برصيد 14 هدفًا. ترتيب هدافي الدوري الإنجليزي بعد ثنائية محمد صلاح أمام نيوكاسل

1 محمد صلاح، ليفربول، 14 هدفًا.

2 إيرلينج هالاند، مانشستر سيتي، 14 هدفًا.

3 سون هيونج مين، توتنهام، 12 هدفًا.

4 دومينيك سولانكي، بورنموث، 12 هدفًا.

5 جارود بوين، وست هام، 11 هدفًا.

6 هوانج هي تشان، ولفرهامبتون، 10 أهداف.

7 أولي واتكينز، أستون فيلا، 9 أهداف.

8 كول بالمر، تشيلسي، 8 أهداف.

9 ألكسندر إيزاك، نيوكاسل يونايتد، 8 أهداف.

10 نيكولاس جاكسون، تشيلسي، 7 أهداف.

ويمكنك متابعة ترتيب هدافي الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز، موسم 2023/24، محدث بشكل مستمر من هنا.

تعرف على أبرز المواجهات في دور المجموعات لـ كأس أمم إفريقيا 2023.

ينتظر عشاق كرة القدم وخاصة في القارة الإفريقية، انطلاق منافسات النسخة 34 من بطولة كأس أمم إفريقيا المقرر إقامتها في كوت ديفوار.

وتنطلق بطولة كأس أمم إفريقيا، يوم السبت 13 يناير الجاري وتستمر حتى 11 فبراير المقبل، بمشاركة 24 منتخبا، مقسمين على 6 مجموعات.

طالع | تعرف على مجموعات كأس أمم إفريقيا 2023

وأسفرت قرعة كأس أمم إفريقيا 2023 التي أجريت في أكتوبر من العام الماضي عن تواجد منتخبات قوية في مجموعة واحدة، لتجعلنا في قمة الحماس لمشاهدة هذه المباريات.

وفي المجموعات الستة، تعد المجموعة الأقوى بتواجد 3 منتخبات تسعى للعبور إلى دور الـ 16 (ثمن النهائي)، هي الخامسة التي يتواجد فيها منتخبات تونس ومالي وجنوب إفريقيا مع منتخب ناميبيا.

وفي هذه المجموعة بالأخص ستجد متابعة كبيرة من الجماهير المصرية وخاصة جماهير الأهلي، بسبب تواجد ثلاثي المارد الأحمر في المنتخبات الثلاثة، حيث يتواجد علي معلول مع تونس وأليو ديانج مع مالي وفي جنوب إفريقيا صانع الألعاب بيرسي تاو.

في الجولة الأولى ستكون مواجهة مالي ضد جنوب إفريقيا، والجولة الثانية ستجمع تونس مع مالي والجولة الثالثة جنوب إفريقيا تصطدم بـ تونس.

وفي مجموعة منتخب مصر، يخوض منتخب الفراعنة مواجهة قوية في الجولة الثانية ستجمعه مع منتخب غانا صاحب الـ 4 ألقاب في كأس أمم إفريقيا.

منتخب مصر يتواجد في المجموعة الثانية، بجانب غانا والرأس الأخضر وموزمبيق.

طالع | مواعيد مباريات منتخب مصر في كأس أمم إفريقيا 2023

والمواجهة التي تعد الأقوى في دور المجموعات، ستجمع بين السنغال بطل النسخة الماضية مع الكاميرون، ضمن مواجهات المجموعة الثالثة.

ومن المباريات التي ستكون قوية أيضاً في دور المجموعات، التي تجمع صاحب الأرض كوت ديفوار مع نيجيريا. بالمواعيد | أبرز مواجهات دور المجموعات في كأس أمم إفريقيا 2023

1- مصر ضد غانا في الجولة الثانية من مواجهات المجموعة الثانية.

تقام يوم الخميس الموافق 18 يناير في تمام الساعة 10 مساءً بتوقيت القاهرة، 11 بتوقيت السعودية.

2- السنغال ضد الكاميرون في الجولة الثانية من مباريات المجموعة الثالثة.

تقام يوم الجمعة الموافق 19 يناير في تمام الساعة 7 مساءً بتوقيت القاهرة، 8 بتوقيت السعودية.

3- كوت ديفوار ضد نيجيريا في الجولة الثانية من مواجهات المجموعة الأولي.

تلعب يوم الخميس الموافق 18 يناير في تمام الساعة 7 مساءً بتوقيت القاهرة، 8 بتوقيت السعودية.

4- مالي ضد جنوب إفريقيا في الجولة الأولي من مباريات المجموعة الخامسة.

تقام يوم الثلاثاء الموافق 16 يناير في تمام الساعة 10 مساءً بتوقيت القاهرة، 11 بتوقيت السعودية.

5- مالي ضد تونس في الجولة الثانية من المجموعة الخامسة.

تقام يوم السبت 20 يناير في تمام الساعة 10 مساءً بتوقيت القاهرة، 11 بتوقيت السعودية.

6- تونس ضد جنوب إفريقيا في الجولة الثالثة من مباريات المجموعة الخامسة.

تقام يوم الأربعاء 24 يناير في تمام الساعة 7 مساءً بتوقيت القاهرة، 8 بتوقيت السعودية.

Newcastle United went into today’s game with Tottenham Hotspur expecting a hard-fought clash with another side chasing Champions League football, and the latter knew the challenge they faced. The neutral tuned in to see two top-quality outfits clash at St James’ Park.

Nobody could have predicted what unfolded.

Ahead inside two minutes, Jacob Murphy’s close-range finish would be the first of five before 22 minutes had been played in Tyneside. Cristian Stellini’s decision to play four at the back was questionable, but even he could not have accounted for the monumental collapse of his side before the game had even got going.

There were neat finishes, long-range screamers and tap-ins, all of which culminated in the final 6-1 scoreline. Then, having taken their foot off the gas, with Harry Kane netting nothing more than a consolation, Callum Wilson combined with Miguel Almiron off the bench to quell any minimal threat of a comeback.

The Magpies were imperious and unstoppable, backed by the raucous home support. A day few around those parts will not forget in a hurry.

Whilst the goalscorers will likely steal the headlines, with Alexander Isak and Murphy both boasting braces, there was another who deserved fine praise.

Indeed, Bruno Guimaraes was in the engine room silently orchestrating this historic result.

How did Bruno Guimaraes play vs Spurs?

With a 7.8 rating for his display, this perhaps underplays the Brazilian’s importance in today’s result. He was ever-present alongside the industrious Joe Willock and Sean Longstaff, adding touches of quality to cap off a perfect afternoon.

His 79 touches alone outline his importance, maintaining a 90% pass accuracy throughout his 70 minutes on the field. To uphold such perfection whilst also recording four key passes only exacerbates the highest level of quality on exhibition today, via Sofascore.

Dictating the play in such a way led Brazilian journalist Vincenzo Dalicani to brand him Newcastle’s “steering wheel.”

However, the £120k-per-week maestro was far from just technically proficient today. It was also a battling performance that earned the 25-year-old the right to play his football, as he made two tackles and won six of the seven duels he competed in at an 85% success rate.

As aforementioned, few could have predicted such a stellar all-around team display from the hosts. However, to see Guimaraes dictating the play in the midfield and at the heart of a famous win is far from a surprise. It’s actually becoming commonplace now as this magnificent outfit seemingly cannot be stopped.

أعلن نادي توتنهام، في بيان رسمي منذ قليل، حصوله على خدمات اللاعب تيمو فيرنر من صفوف لايبزيج في موسم الانتقالات الشتوي الحالي.

وعاد تيمو فيرنر إلى الدوري الإنجليزي من جديد، عبر بوابة توتنهام، على سبيل الإعارة من لايبزيج.

اقرأ أيضًا.. مدرب توتنهام عن ارتباط داير بـ بايرن ميونخ: لا تشككوا في نزاهتي

كان فيرنر قد انضم إلى لايبزيج، مرة أخرى، في صيف 2022 بعد فشله في تقديم المستوى المطلوب منه رفقة تشيلسي.

وتمكن فيرنر من تسجيل هدفين فقط وصناعة هدف في 14 مباراة في مختلف المسابقات هذا الموسم مع لايبزيج الألماني.

ورغب فيرنر في الانضمام إلى توتنهام في نافذة الانتقالات الشتوية الجارية للحصول على مزيد من فرص اللعب.

وقال توتنهام في بيانه: “سينضم اللاعب الألماني الدولي إلى النادي على سبيل الإعارة حتى نهاية الموسم، مع خيار جعل الصفقة دائمة في الصيف، وسيرتدي القميص رقم 16”.

وذكرت تقارير صحفية أن قيمة الشرط الذي سيحول صفقة إعارة تيمو فيرنر مع توتنهام، إلى انتقال دائم، تُقدر بـ17 مليون يورو.

Chelsea have internally 'spoken about' Napoli boss Luciano Spalletti potentially becoming Blues manager, says CBS Sports reporter Ben Jacobs.

Who have Chelsea got on their shortlist?

According to The Independent, Burnley boss Vincent Kompany and ex-Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino are serious contenders to take over at Stamford Bridge and have made the final four of their managerial shortlist.

Julian Nagelsmann was also believed to be in the running to succeed Graham Potter permanently; however, transfer guru Fabrizio Romano revealed last week that he had pulled out of the race, stating on Twitter:

"Julian Nagelsmann has now withdrawn from the race to become the new Chelsea head coach — it looks like it’s his final decision. German coach is said to be no longer available after multiple round of talks. Nagelsmann was top candidate for the job."

Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou is also a surprise candidate for the role and has cropped up as an outsider on the list of candidates to become Chelsea's new head coach, as per The Guardian.

Journalist Rudy Galetti has also claimed that Napoli boss Spalletti is one to watch, saying on Twitter: “For the Blues, let’s keep an eye also on Spalletti."

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, reporter Jacobs said: "Luciano Spalletti is another name that has been spoken about. But at the moment, he's fully focused on Napoli and winning the Scudetto, and is not necessarily attainable, therefore, to approach or speak to at this point. So Chelsea do want to move in the coming weeks to get that name.

"Because even if that name starts next season, they still want to lock down the name, which helps stabilise the club. And then there's a name that they can take in the coming weeks into the transfer market ahead of the window opening which is important as well. But this has always been about Chelsea not rushing."

Who should Chelsea appoint as manager?

Chelsea have endured a disastrous Premier League campaign in 2022/23 and sit in the bottom half of the table with only seven matches left to play.

Caretaker boss Frank Lampard has also been unable to steady the ship in west London since taking over from Potter, losing his first four matches in charge at Stamford Bridge.

That leaves the question of who Chelsea should appoint as manager and who is likely to have the best chance of turning their fortunes around. On the one hand, Spalletti has certainly caught the attention of many around Europe this season, leading Napoli to within one victory and a Lazio defeat away from officially being crowned Serie A champions.

The 64-year-old's preference to play on the front foot would impress Chelsea supporters; nevertheless, his lack of any Premier League experience may turn some towards other potential candidates.

And his style of play in Serie A has seen him hailed as a "genius" by his star striker Victor Osimhen.

Former Spurs boss Pochettino has plenty of experience in the English top-flight due to his time in north London. His ability to nurture young talent is also likely to appeal to the masses as Chelsea look to develop their youthful squad in the coming years.

Other contenders also have distinctive qualities; however, the Blues may elect to turn to a household name to get The Bridge rocking again. Either way, it will be an interesting few weeks ahead as we get closer to knowing who the new Chelsea boss will be.