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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.

Rangers are reportedly confident that they could pip a number of Premier League clubs to the signing of Burnley youngster Jack McEvilly.

How good is McEvilly?

The Gers will hopefully embark on a busy summer transfer window later this year, as they look to make significant reinforcements in the market. Once again, they look set to fall short in the Scottish Premiership title race and more quality is ultimately required, in order to close the gap on Celtic.

One player who has been linked with a move to Ibrox is McEvilly, who is making a name for himself at Burnley, standing out as one of their most exciting youth team products. The centre-back is even touted as one of the best young players in his position in England, with many clubs likely to eye up a move for him at the end of the season.

It doesn't look as though Rangers' interest is going away any time soon, following a fresh update, as they look to seal the signing of the 16-year-old.

Could teenager join Rangers?

According to Football Insider, the Gers are "confident they have an advantage over Premier League clubs" in the battle to acquire McEvilly's signature. They and Celtic are both thought to have "registered their interest in a potential deal this summer" and they have an advantage because "Scottish clubs only have to pay a maximum £300,000 compensation for out-of-contract players."

In comparison, Premier League teams could have to spend millions on someone like McEvilly, due to there being "no cap on development costs and what they have to pay."

Newcastle, Manchester United, Everton, Crystal Palace and Brighton are all mentioned as potential suitors in the report, but it looks as though the talented Burnley defender could be Ibrox-bound.

While McEvilly clearly wouldn't come in as a key first-team signing by Michael Beale, it is essential that Rangers continue to plan for the future and don't simply focus on the here and now. They need to be in a position where they are a force for many years to come and the centre-back could be exactly what they are looking for, in that respect.

He could come in as a youth team player to begin with, or even be loaned out at some point, before maturing over time and eventually becoming a key figure at the heart of the Gers' defence, as he looks to match the hype.

Newcastle United will host Manchester United in their Premier League clash at St James' Park and Eddie Howe will surely be hoping his team can bring the fight needed to take all three points in front of the home support this afternoon.

The Magpies have the golden opportunity to break back into the Champions League qualifying spots inside the top four as a win over Erik ten Hag's side would see them leapfrog Tottenham Hotspur ahead of their game against Everton tomorrow night.

In terms of injuries, Miguel Almiron and Emile Krafth remain the only players unavailable for selection whilst Anthony Gordon will require a late fitness test following his return to full training earlier this week.

Howe will be given a massive boost going into the fixture as Joelinton will return to action after serving a two-match suspension for tallying up ten yellow cards and the Newcastle boss took to his pre-match press conference to highlight the importance of the Brazilian in the team:

"It's huge to have him available. Joe is a huge presence, not just physically. The lads know how good a player he is so to have him back is a big lift. He's versatile, can play a number of positions, but others have played well."

How could Newcastle line-up vs Manchester United?

Nick Pope (GK), Kieran Trippier (RB), Fabian Schar (CB), Sven Botman (CB), Dan Burn (LB), Bruno Guimaraes (CM), Joe Willock (CM), Joelinton (CM), Jacob Murphy (RW), Alexander Isak (ST), Anthony Gordon (LW).

Football FanCast predicts that Howe will make just two changes to his starting XI that beat Nottingham Forest, maintaining his 4-3-3 formation but adding some fresh perspectives in the attacking threat where possible to give the side their best chance of a victory.

In defence, we expect that the Newcastle boss will maintain his most trusted and reliable back four with Dan Burn, Fabian Schar, Sven Botman and Kieran Trippier retaining their spots in the line-up.

The first change we expect to see is Joelinton – hailed as "immense" by Sky Sports journalist Keith Downie – reprising his role alongside his Brazilian teammate Bruno Guimaraes and Joe Willock, with Sean Longstaff coming out of the team to accommodate the midfielder.

Willock has been impressive in his performances since earning a spot during the £85k-per-week ace's suspension with two assists tallied up over the last two fixtures, so it could be Longstaff who loses his starting place to give the team a much more attacking presence from the centre of the pitch against Man United.

The second and final change we predict is Gordon starting in the forward line alongside Alexander Isak and Jacob Murphy.

Indeed, the former Everton winger can offer the aggression and pace needed on the left flank to really frustrate their tough opponents, replacing the inconsistent Allan-Saint Maximin to give the attack a refresh.

Leeds United correspondent Phil Hay has been reacting to another update involving the Whites and former forward Jean-Kevin Augustin.

What’s the latest news on Leeds and Augustin?

Augustin made the move to Elland Road back in January 2020 from RB Leipzig on loan with a view to a permanent transfer if Leeds won promotion to the Premier League under Marcelo Bielsa.

As we know, the Whites did eventually win the Championship in what was a pandemic-delayed season, although Augustin only featured in 48 minutes of action for the club.

What happened after that turned into a lengthy transfer saga, with Leeds eventually losing their Court of Arbitration case and being ordered to pay Leipzig £18m. The two clubs eventually reached a settlement over the transfer back in December, but a new update has now come to light.

The Athletic’s David Ornstein revealed on Monday evening that FIFA have ordered Leeds to pay Augustin £24.5m for a breach of contract. The club have once again lodged an appeal, and Hay described it on Twitter as "another punishing development".

“Away this week but here from David Ornstein, another punishing development in the Jean-Kevin Augustin case. Leeds have appealed but they are on the hook for £24.5m due to Augustin, on top of the £15.5m settlement with RB Leipzig”

Will Augustin go down as Leeds’ worst-ever signing?

After this update, there is a serious argument that could easily go down as the club’s worst-ever addition. As James Marshment states, the striker could potentially end up costing an incredible £816,326 for every minute of competitive action he played for the Whites, whereas LUFCDATA breaks it down even further at £2.86m per touch of the ball.

In total, Leeds could be paying in the region of £40m for a player they hardly used, with the French forward, now 25, currently on the books with Swiss side FC Basel, where he has contributed to five goals in 18 appearances.

There could well be another lengthy process when it comes to an appeal over this decision, but if CAS previously ruled that Leeds needed to pay Leipzig for the transfer of the forward, then surely Augustin is entitled to his contract as a permanent Leeds player.

Andrea Radrizzani, the 49ers Enterprises and Victor Orta will be hoping the club can somehow work something out to prevent that from happening – making this one to keep an eye on once more.

Aston Villa are reportedly interested in signing Villarreal winger Samuel Chukwueze this summer and the Nigerian could prove to be Unai Emery's next version of Arsenal star Bukayo Saka.

Could Villa sign Chukwueze?

According to reports from Spain, Villa are one of the most interested sides in signing the 23-year-old wide man this summer and are described as the most feasible destination for Chukwueze.

The youngster would be linking up with former manager Emery in the Premier League, having made 94 appearances under the Spanish manager during his time with the Yellow Submarine, contributing 14 goals and 15 assists in that time.

However, if Villa are keen to reunite the two ahead of the 2023/24 campaign, then it is suggested that they could be forced to pay his reported €80m (£70m) release clause, which would comfortably make him the club's record signing.

Although Villa have been in superb form since Emery's arrival in the Midlands and look destined to earn a spot in Europe next season, the likes of Leon Bailey, Emiliano Buendia and Philippe Coutinho have all struggled for goals and assists, with a combined 14 goal contributions between them so far this campaign.

Considering Chukwueze boasts an impressive return of six goals and five assists in 28 La Liga appearances this season, with a WhoScored rating of 7/10, he could add some serious quality to Emery's squad ahead of what promises to be an exciting 2023/34 season.

Who is Chukwueze similar to?

According to FBref, the second-most similar player to Chukwueze, when compared to other wingers across Europe's top leagues, is England and Arsenal star, Saka.

There is a huge amount of coincidence here, with the Englishman initially breaking through under the Aston Villa manager's watch.

Indeed, the talented winger played 15 times for Emery after being given his debut in the Gunners' first-team, eventually scoring once and registering five assists before he truly became a world-class asset for Mikel Arteta.

This season has seen the two wide men register extremely similar statistics with regard to non-penalty expected goals per 90 (0.27 vs 0.26), shots per 90 (2.37 vs 2.41) and goal-creating actions per 90 (0.75 vs 0.77), suggesting they produce high-quality chances at a likeminded rate.

WhoScored further suggests that both Saka and Chukwueze excel at key passes and finishing, while as left-footed right-wingers, they both like to cut inside and play short passes.

Villarreal boss Quique Setien was full of praise for the Nigeria international after he scored twice in an impressive win over Real Madrid recently.

He said: “For a few weeks, he’s been giving us a lot, he’s a permanent threat. Not just in goals, but in passes, chances, he’s an extraordinary player, who is giving us a lot."

Chukwueze is clearly a talented young player with similar traits to Saka, and if he could perform even half as well as the 21-year-old, who has been a driving force behind Arsenal's title challenge this season, then he would surely be a quality addition to Emery's side.

Tottenham Hotspur have made progress in their talks with Julian Nagelsmann, and he is now ready to accept the manager's job, according to recent reports from Germany.

What's the latest Julian Nagelsmann news?

Having left his role as Bayern Munich manager, Nagelsmann has been linked with a move to the Premier League, being named as Tottenham's preferred choice, however at one stage a move did not look likely.

The German is said to have rejected a move to north London earlier this month, having been in favour of waiting until the summer before making a decision regarding his future, with Chelsea also lurking.

Now, the 35-year-old is said to have pulled out of the race to take over at Stamford Bridge, with Fabrizio Romano detailing that will be his "final decision", in what could be a major boost to Spurs' chances.

According to a report from BILD (via Sport Witness), the young manager has previously turned down the opportunity to take over at Tottenham, but he may now have changed his mind.

Spurs showed an interest in appointing the former Bayern Munich boss immediately after he was sacked by the Bundesliga club, but he rebuffed their advances, insisting that he wanted some time out of the game.

The Lilywhites are now said to have moved ahead of Chelsea in the race for the Landsberg Am Lech-born tactician, and he would now be ready to accept the job, although complex negotiations would need to take place beforehand.

Should Tottenham appoint Julian Nagelsmann?

Former manager Antonio Conte was much-maligned by the media for a "boring" brand of football during his time with Spurs, and there are plenty of indications that Nagelsmann would bring a more entertaining style of play to N17.

Journalist Raj Chohan has hailed the former RB Leipzig boss as an "unreal attacking coach", while Zach Lowy has described him as "progressive", which will no doubt come as exciting news to a significant number of fans.

There are some doubts about appointing the up-and-coming manager, with journalist Valentina Maceri explaining his lack of experience meant it was sometimes hard to deal with big-name players at Bayern, while his tactics were considered overly-complicated.

That said, Nagelsmann now has experience of managing a top club, which will stand him in good stead, and he did manage to win three trophies during his time at the Allianz Arena, so Tottenham should definitely look to bring him in.

Crystal Palace youngster Michael Olise is wanted by Paris Saint-Germain during the summer transfer window, according to a worrying new report.

How is Olise doing at Crystal Palace?

The Eagles have managed to pull away from the relegation zone since the arrival of Roy Hodgson, but it has still proved to be a disappointing season overall, with bigger things expected under Patrick Vieira.

Someone who continues to catch the eye is Olise, however, with the 21-year-old's technical ability up there with the best at Selhurst Park currently. He has registered nine assists in the Premier League in 2022/23 to date, highlighting his creativity, and he has also scored twice, including a stunning last-gast free-kick at home to Manchester United.

The Englishman's quality means that other clubs are sure to be interested in making a move for him this summer, although his current Palace doesn't expire until 2026, which does at least put them in a strong bargaining position. It looks as though one of Europe's biggest teams are eyeing up a move, following a fresh update.

Could Olise be off to PSG this summer?

According to L'Equipe, PSG see Olise as a potential summer target, as they look to change up their approach in the transfer market and bring in young talent. Lionel Messi will leave at the end of the season and supporters also want Neymar to move on, and the Palace starlet is an option to come in.

It remains to be seen if a formal offer is tabled for the attacking midfielder, but all this does is highlight what a special prospect the Eagles have in their ranks. As mentioned, his current contract situation does at least mean that Palace can demand a huge amount of money for Olise's services, but losing him at this point in his career would be a massive blow, with so much more hopefully come from him in south London.

He has been hailed as a "special" player by Vieira in the past, with his wand of a left foot capable of changing a game with a moment of magic, as shown by his aforementioned free-kick against United, which earned Palace a 1-1 draw back in January.

Hopefully, Olise's head won't be turned by PSG's rumoured interest and he will continue to ply his trade at Palace for as long as possible, but a player of his calibre may not be content to stay put for too much longer unless things improve, which should act as an incentive for everyone at the club.

Manchester City striker Julian Alvarez is keen to join Real Madrid who are ready to table an offer to sign him this summer, according to reports.

What's the latest on Alvarez's future?

The Sky Blues forward first put pen to paper at the Etihad Stadium in January 2022, and after completing the rest of that season out on loan at River Plate, as per Transfermarkt, returned to the club and is now in his full debut season in the Premier League, having made 43 appearances to date.

In March, the Argentine signed a one-year contract extension which keeps him working with Pep Guardiola until at least 2028, but his future has always felt uncertain considering that he's the manager's second-choice up top and has been kept out of the team by Erling Haaland.

The Calchin native has made just nine top-flight starts this season compared to the Norwegian's 30, with 17 of his appearances having been as a substitute when brought off the bench, so it's clear that he's down the pecking order, and one admirer in particular are reportedly looking to capitalise on that by prising him away during the upcoming window.

According to Spanish reports (via Sport Witness), Real Madrid have "identified" Alvarez as a potential "heir" for Karim Benzema at the Bernabeu Stadium. Carlo Ancelotti is looking for a younger striker to succeed the veteran and believes that the 23-year-old would "fit in" to his squad.

The Los Blancos are ready to "go all out" to secure his services, and whilst Man City "don't plan to part ways" with him, it's stated that his suitor are "willing to do what is necessary" to tempt him. The La Liga giants are "prepared to make an attractive offer" to do this, and it's claimed that they are hopeful that his "desire to join" will aid them in completing a deal in the summer.

Should Man City keep or sell Alvarez?

Man City will understandably view Haaland as their first-choice striker, but Alvarez has been dubbed an “electric” talent by scout Jacek Kulig and he’s still a great alternative to have in the building, so Guardiola should definitely retain his services beyond the summer.

The Sky Blues forward, who pockets £100k-per-week, has posted 20 goal contributions (15 goals and five assists) in 43 appearances since joining and is currently averaging 1.4 shots per league game, highlighting how prolific he can be when given the chance to play.

Alvarez also brings wonderful versatility to the squad having operated in five various positions this season alone under the boss, including everywhere across the frontline and even in attacking midfield, so for all of the potential that he has to offer, it would seem ridiculous to cash in just months after he committed to extending his stay even further.

Fans online have reacted after Manchester City goal machine Erling Haaland missed a plethora of opportunities against Leeds United.

How bad was Erling Haaland against Leeds?

The Norwegian striker has simply torn English goalscoring records into pieces in his debut Premier League season so far.

Indeed, there are three games left to play in the competition, but the 22-year-old already has scored the most goals (35) in a single league campaign.

This topped Mohamed Salah’s 32 goals for Liverpool in 2017-18 in a 38-game season, as well as Alan Shearer and Andrew Cole’s previous best of 34 strikes in a 42-game season.

However, against Leeds United and Sam Allardyce at the Etihad on Saturday afternoon, Haaland was uncharacteristically wasteful with his opportunities.

While Ilkay Gundogan scored twice to give City a 2-1 win, the £375k-p/w striker missed three big chances, hit the woodwork, fired four shots off target, and finished the game with an xG of 0.98 despite failing to hit the back of the net (via SofaScore).

Perhaps most notably, he missed the opportunity to cap off a beautiful move as Gundogan played a clever outside of the boot to Kevin de Bruyne who, in turn, flicked it perfectly into the path of Haaland.

That alone was bad enough to spark some shocked comments.

But Haaland actually went on to miss a number of other key opportunities and somebody online created a montage of his poor finishing on the day.

Here are some of the best reactions to this…

Haaland of course grew up supporting Leeds – as his father Alf Inge played for the club – and Harry Potter actor Matthew Lewis (who played Neville Longbottom) was left wondering if maybe the misses were on purpose.

Seeing as the 22-year-old also turned down the opportunity to take a penalty, which was then missed by Gundogan, there could be something to this conspiracy…

Arsenal star Granit Xhaka "might be tempted" to leave this summer, particularly if the club bring in a new central midfielder, according to journalist Paul Brown.

What's the latest on Xhaka's Arsenal future?

According to a recent report from talkSPORT, Xhaka is becoming increasingly likely to leave Arsenal in the summer, despite a stellar season in the Premier League, as his contract expires next summer, meaning this is the club's last chance to cash-in.

Mikel Arteta downplayed recent links to Bayer Leverkusen, with the manager insisting he is "really happy" with the midfielder's performances this season, claiming it is "probably the best season" he has had at the club since signing for £30m in 2016.

However, with the Gunners being linked with moves for the likes of Declan Rice and Moises Caicedo, the Switzerland international's future in north London now appears to be in major doubt.

In a recent interview with GiveMeSport, Brown has indicated that the 30-year-old could be keen on a move this summer, if he feels as though his game time is going to be limited by the arrival of a big-name signing.

The journalist said: I feel if Arsenal were to make a big midfield signing and invest a lot of money in a player like Rice or Caicedo, that Xhaka might feel, at this stage of his career, he doesn't want to play second fiddle or lose out on the kind of minutes he was getting this season.

“So, I think there's an opportunity there for clubs like Leverkusen to come in and make him an offer, and depending on the sort of business Arsenal do, I think he might be tempted to take it.”

Should Arsenal let Granit Xhaka leave?

The £120k-per-week midfielder has taken significant strides this season, having averaged a 6.97 WhoScored match rating in the Premier League, a massive increase on the 6.67 match rating from the 2021/22 campaign.

Hailed as "exceptional" by journalist Charles Watts, the former FC Basel man also plays an important role in the dressing room, having been described as a "positive leader" who sets a "positive example for the young players" by Patrick Vieira.

As such, it would be wise for Arteta to keep hold of Xhaka, if he is willing to accept playing a more limited role than he has this season, in which he has made a total of 45 appearances in all competitions.