🇸🇦 Tribuna Deportiva: Valencia looking to offload Diakhaby — and more

Valencia CF has made a firm decision regarding the future of Mouctar Diakhaby.

According to Tribuna Deportiva, the Mestalla club will try to offload the Guinean center-back during the next summer transfer window, marking a point of reflection in the club’s sporting plans for the 2025/2026 season.

The main reasons pushing the club to seek this transfer are the player’s injury history and his high salary.

Despite having a contract in force until 2027, Valencia considers it a priority to free up wage budget in order to make new signings under the direction of Carlos Corberán.

Saudi Arabia, the club’s preferred destination

From the Mestalla offices, there is optimism about receiving a strong financial offer from Saudi Arabia.

The Saudi league has become a key player in the international market, able to take on high salaries and offer beneficial transfers for clubs in delicate financial situations like Valencia.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.

Business picked up on Thursday at the 2026 NFL combine in Indianapolis. After a few days of interviews and weigh-ins, we finally saw some action as the defensive linemen and linebackers participated in workouts and on-field drills.

Several of them put on a show, including a couple of prospects in play for the Washington Commanders with the No. 7 overall pick. The Commanders need plenty of defensive help at all three levels, with edge rusher being the most pressing need. You can't rule out a wide receiver or Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love either.

Outside of projected No. 1 overall pick, Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza, the top half of the 2026 NFL Draft could be as unpredictable as ever. So, the combine could be important for some players to separate themselves from the pack.

Here's a look at six players who shined on Day of the NFL combine.

Ohio State LB Sonny Styles

Sonny Styles profile...

6'5" ➡️ same as Calvin Johnson
244lbs ➡️ three pounds lighter than Derrick Henry
43.5" vert ➡️ same as Nate Robinson's max vert
4.46s forty ➡️ same as Bijan Robinson
135" broad jump ➡️ same as Julio Jones

FREAK ATHLETE pic.twitter.com/mFx13ywggF

— Underdog (@Underdog) February 27, 2026

Sonny Styles didn't need the NFL combine to show he was a first-round pick. It's all over his college tape. But when you add in his size, measurables and bloodlines, Styles is almost a perfect prospect. He arrived in Indianapolis as a surefire top-15 pick, but he may leave as a potential top-five pick.

Texas Tech EDGE David Bailey

David Bailey at the 2026 Combine…

▫️Faster than Antonio Cromartie
▫️Quicker than Davante Adams
▫️Jumps higher than A.J. Green
▫️More explosive than Adrian Peterson
▫️Heavier than Von Miller#NFLCombine2026pic.twitter.com/EIrK6YIhXH

— NFL Researcher (@NFL_Researcher) February 26, 2026

While much of the talk centered around Styles, don't forget about Bailey. The All-American was a top-10 lock before Indianapolis, with a ceiling as high as No. 2 to the New York Jets. He did nothing to discourage the hype. Bailey's size, speed, explosiveness and short-area quickness match his tape. The Commanders already knew there was a good chance Bailey wouldn't make it to No. 7. It's doubtful now.

Ohio State EDGE/LB Arvell Reese

Sheeeeeesh.@OhioStateFB LB Arvell Reese with a 4.47u

2026 NFL Combine on @nflnetwork
Stream on @NFLPluspic.twitter.com/j74Yd3XQCw

— NFL (@NFL) February 27, 2026

Reese performed as expected. He and Styles were on another planet. However, they are different players. Reese played some at edge rusher and off-ball linebacker with the Buckeyes. He can do about everything, even though there are some questions about where to play him at the next level. It's really quite simple: don't box him into one spot. Reese is a top-five lock.

Florida DT Caleb Banks

.@GatorsFB DT Caleb Banks put on an unreal performance today:

- 6'6", 327 pounds
- 5.04 40-yard dash
- 32" vertical jump
- 9'6" broad jump@nflnetwork | @Accenturepic.twitter.com/FLWDdfKUUn

— NFL (@NFL) February 26, 2026

Caleb Banks is a prospect who could use the combine as a way to shoot up draft boards. The talent is there. The size and athleticism are unreal. A foot injury cost him much of the 2025 season, so there were some who believed he could fall too early in the second round. That's not happening. Don't be shocked if Banks ends up going somewhere in the top 15-20 picks. Teams love to bet on upside. Banks has that and then some. He's also versatile enough to move around on the offensive line.

Texas Tech LB Jacob Rodriguez

Jacob Rodriguez reached a top speed of 18.43 mph during the Backpedal & React Drill, the fastest by any linebacker over the last four years.

Rodriguez traveled nearly a full mile per hour faster than the next-closest linebacker (Arvell Reese, 17.49 mph). pic.twitter.com/ELC3LQm1pQ

— Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats) February 27, 2026

Despite a decorated college career that saw him win the Chuck Bednarik Award, Butkus Award, Lombardi Award and Bronko Nagurski Trophy, no one really discussed Rodriguez as a first or second-round pick. There were concerns about his size, and some questioned his athleticism. Rodriguez, who has elite tape at Texas Tech, put those concerns to rest on Thursday, leading the linebackers in the 20-yard shuttle and 3-cone drills, proving his explosiveness. Rodriguez will be drafted in the second round when all is said and done.

Pittsburgh LB Kyle Louis

Pitt LB Kyle Louis | 2026 Combine Results:

🔵 40 Yard Dash: 4.53 (5th)
🔵 10 Yard Split: 1.58 (3rd)
🔵 Vertical Jump: 39.50” (4th)
🔵 Broad Jump: 10’9” (2nd)@Pitt_FBpic.twitter.com/YlHU4uY7Zi

— PFF College (@PFF_College) February 27, 2026

Kyle Louis was an excellent player at Pitt. However, size concerns had him pegged for the middle rounds. Louis showed his ability at the Senior Bowl last month. He was everywhere. NFL teams fell in love with him. On Thursday, he backed up what you see on the field with elite testing numbers. Louis is a player who probably would've struggled to make it 10-15 years ago just because of size. Now, he's a positionless weapon. He can play linebacker, safety, big nickel, etc. Defensive coordinators will want his speed on the field. For a team that wants to be "younger and faster," like the Commanders do, it's players like Louis who get coaches excited.

This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: 2026 NFL combine: 6 players who shined on Day 1

wf_cms.rss.read_more

Liverpool manager Arne Slot says Hugo Ekitike is keen to improve his heading as he looks to improve his game.

Ekitike has made a big impact sincesigning for Liverpool from Eintracht Frankfurt last summer, for an initial fee of £69m. The Frenchman has scored 15 goals in 36 appearances across all competitions and is Liverpool's leading scorer in 2025-26.

However, he has scored just twice in his last eightPremier League appearances, netting a brace against Newcastle United on January 31st.

Ekitike has been guilty of missing some big headed chances in recent weeks, with opportunities spurned against Manchester City and Nottingham Forest.

Slot has said the forward wants to work on his heading as he looks to reach the next level, adding that it's 'normal' to have areas of improvement at Ekitike's age (23).

The Dutchman also discussed the need for all of his forwards to contribute, amid questions over Mohamed Salah's recent nine-game drought in thePremier League.

Speaking at his pre-match press conference ahead of facing West Ham this weekend, Slot said: "We are used to [Salah] scoring a lot of goals - I think that's the biggest difference in his performances right now.

"But we also know, even in my time, it has happened. I've had questions about Mo not scoring for three or four games but I know he always scores again in the end. That's the challenge he and we have at the moment.

"He is not our only attacker who doesn't score as much as we are used to. It is not that the focus should be all on him, Hugo [Ekitike] and Cody [Gakpo] haven't scored that many goals recently as well, so it is a team thing. But we keep clean sheets, so we don't need to score as many."

Colorado Buffaloes (16-12, 6-9 Big 12) at Houston Cougars (23-5, 11-4 Big 12)

Houston; Saturday, 12 p.m. EST

BOTTOM LINE: No. 5 Houston heads into the matchup with Colorado as losers of three straight games.

The Cougars are 13-1 on their home court. Houston is 22-2 when it has fewer turnovers than its opponents and averages 7.9 turnovers per game.

The Buffaloes are 6-9 in Big 12 play. Colorado ranks seventh in the Big 12 shooting 35.3% from 3-point range.

Houston scores 76.6 points per game, 1.3 fewer points than the 77.9 Colorado gives up. Colorado scores 17.8 more points per game (80.1) than Houston allows to opponents (62.3).

The Cougars and Buffaloes square off Saturday for the first time in Big 12 play this season.

TOP PERFORMERS: Kingston Flemings is averaging 16.6 points, 5.1 assists and 1.6 steals for the Cougars. Emanuel Sharp is averaging 16.3 points over the last 10 games.

Barrington Hargress is shooting 50.6% from beyond the arc with 1.6 made 3-pointers per game for the Buffaloes, while averaging 14.2 points and 4.4 assists. Isaiah Johnson is shooting 43.8% and averaging 17.2 points over the past 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Cougars: 6-4, averaging 73.0 points, 31.3 rebounds, 12.7 assists, 5.6 steals and 3.3 blocks per game while shooting 43.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 66.3 points per game.

Buffaloes: 4-6, averaging 74.6 points, 30.1 rebounds, 15.3 assists, 6.7 steals and 2.6 blocks per game while shooting 44.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 79.1 points.

___

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.