Atletico Madrid eye market opportunity with Manchester City star — and more

Atletico Madrid are poised to have another busy summer transfer window, as they continue efforts to close on Barcelona and Real Madrid. There are plans to address multiple areas of Diego Simeone’s squad, with one of those being midfield.

Rodrigo Mendoza and Obed Vargas were signed in January from Elche and Seattle Sounders respectively, although neither player is likely to hold a significant squad position in next couple of years. As such, there is scope for an addition or two, with Ederson dos Santos noted as one Atleti’s leading targets.

But he is not the only option under consideration. As per CaughtOffside, Atleti are considering a move for Bernardo Silva, who is set to become a free agent in the summer.

Image via Michael Regan/Getty Images

Silva is in the final few months of his contract with Manchester City, and until now, there has been no moves made to offer the Portugal international a renewal. This has led to significant speculation regarding his situation, with Barcelona another of the clubs to have been linked with signing him.

Silva would suit Simeone down to the ground

Silva has previously shown interest in playing in La Liga, and Atleti could give him the chance to do so this summer. The 31-year-old will have many offers on the table, but it would be no surprise to see him prioritise any that come his way from Spanish shores.

Silva would add experience to a young Atleti squad, which would be needed in the event of Koke Resurreccion and/or Antoine Griezmann leaving. He would also be an excellent fit for the way that Simeone wants his side to play, in what he has a competitive streak that will be vital in helping Los Colchoneros close the gap on Barcelona and Real Madrid ahead of them in La Liga.

Tyrese Haliburton shingles diagnosis: Why Pacers star guard will be away from team with painful illness originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Tyrese Haliburton remains unlikely to see the court for the Indiana Pacers in the 2025-26 season due to the torn Achilles he suffered in last summer's Game 7 of the NBA Finals. But now, he's facing a bit more of a setback.

Haliburton, who has spent lots of time on the Pacers' sidelines this season in a player-coach type role, will be away from the team as of Sunday due to a recent diagnosis with shingles, head coach Rick Carlisle said.

The star guard is expected to make a "full recovery" from the viral infection, but he won't be around Indiana's team for some time.

Here's what to know about Tyrese Haliburton's shingles diagnosis.

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What is Tyrese Haliburton’s injury?

Haliburton was diagnosed with shingles, Carlisle said Sunday.

“He will likely make a full recovery,” Carlisle said before Sunday’s Pacers game against the Dallas Mavericks, per The Athletic. “This happened over the last few days. He was meeting us in D.C. and had some odd symptoms.

“It’s a unique case, a unique situation. I’ve talked to him a few times, and he’s always in a good mood, so he’ll get through it. But trying to survive at a high level without a guy like that is extremely difficult.”

What is shingles?

Shingles, according to Mayo Clinic, is a viral infection that causes a painful rash. It can occur anywhere on the body, and it "typically looks like a single stripe of blisters that wraps around the left side or the right side of your torso."

The infection is caused by the same virus that causes chickenpox, the varicella-zoster virus. Shingles is not life-threatening, but can be painful, with vaccines helping lower the risk of it.

Symptoms include pain, burning or tingling; sensitivity to touch; a red rash that begins a few days after the pain; fluid-filled blisters that break open and crust over; and itching.

How long does it take to recover from shingles?

According to Cleveland Clinic, it can take three-to-five weeks from the time symptoms start until a shingles rash totally disappears. Other symptoms then get better within seven-to-10 days.

Most people who contract shingles get better without any complications, often by taking antivirals within three days of the start of symptoms.

How long will Haliburton be out?

Haliburton will be away from the Pacers for 2-3 weeks with his shingles diagnosis, Carlisle said. Once he's made a full recovery, he's expected to rejoin the team.

However, as for his torn Achilles, the expectation remains that Haliburton will not be playing in the remainder of the 2025-26 season, with the Pacers ranking among the worst teams in the Eastern Conference and eyeing a return to contention next fall. 

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The NFL Scouting Combine kicks off this week starting on Monday. Teams will travel from all over the country to get a front-row seat at prospects ahead of the NFL Draft. The Los Angeles Rams’ front office won’t be in attendance. There are still plenty of key offseason dates to keep in mind.

Let’s pick our head up for a moment and see what all is on the horizon for the Rams:

NFL Scouting Combine

February 23rd to March 2nd

While Rams brass won’t be putting prospects through the paces, they will still gather valuable intel into medical issues that could remove players from their draft board entirely. The combine is also an important time to gather intel on pending free agents, trade targets, and their potential price tags.

Franchise tag deadline

March 4th

LA doesn’t have a likely candidate for the franchise tag this year. Who other teams decide to tag could shape the overall free agent class and alter the Rams’ plans.

Free Agency – legal tampering

March 9th to March 11th

Starting at noon eastern time, unrestricted free agents can enter contract negotiations with new teams. The Rams may use this period to gauge price tags for their own players on expiring contracts and decide whether they can or want to retain them.

The new league year begins on March 11th and reported signings from the tampering period can then become official. Trades also can be reported but not official until March 11th at noon.

Offseason workouts begin

April 20th

This is the date for teams with returning head coaches. Franchises with new coaching staffs start earlier on April 6th. Signed free agents will first join the team at this point.

NFL Draft

April 23rd to April 25th

The Rams will enjoy two first round picks on the opening night on Thursday. They’ll be active on the final two days as well. The event is held in Pittsburgh, PA this year.

Dallas, by contrast, was unable to generate the first-round pick it was seeking in trade talks for Daniel Gafford. Neither, sources say, could Sacramento with Domantas Sabonis.

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This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: Dallas was unable to generate first-round draft interest for Daniel Gafford