Newcastle United’s midfield situation could face further complications due to the involvement of Bruno Guimaraes amid Sandro Tonali’s association with an illegal betting inquiry.
Sandro Tonali, along with his Aston Villa teammate Nicolo Zaniolo, was recently questioned by the police regarding an ongoing illegal betting investigation. According to reports from Italy, Tonali has since participated in an extensive hearing with federal prosecutor Giuseppe Chine to address the allegations. Tonali’s agent has revealed that he is grappling with a gambling addiction and could potentially face a global ban of up to three years if found guilty of betting on football matches, which would violate Article 24 of the sports justice code. However, this ban could be reduced by half if he reaches a plea agreement with the authorities. While the investigation is ongoing, Tonali remains eligible to play for Newcastle and may be featured in the upcoming Premier League match against Crystal Palace. According to The Athletic, a resolution in Tonali’s case might be reached by December.
If Tonali is found guilty and subsequently banned, he would be unavailable for Newcastle, leaving the team short a midfielder. Furthermore, another key midfielder could also be sidelined due to a contractual clause.
Brazilian star Bruno Guimaraes recently extended his contract with Newcastle for five years after their remarkable 4-1 victory over PSG in the Champions League. The 25-year-old is committed to St James’ Park until 2028, but he holds a release clause in his contract, as reported by Fabrizio Romano, valued at £100 million, which could be triggered by any club. Contrary to claims about a “secret clause” specifically for Barcelona, Romano clarified that Guimaraes’ release clause applies universally to all clubs and stands at £100 million, with no additional conditions.
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