Newcastle could lose ‘£55m down the drain’ after Sandro Tonali update

Newcastle United could be without summer signing Sandro Tonali for an extensive period

Newcastle United midfielder Sandro Tonali is in a’very scary’ situation, according to writer Dean Jones, who updated GIVEMESPORT on how a probe into his betting history is being handled at St James’ Park

The Italy international faces the risk of his Magpies career imploding before it has even begun, having signed a £55 million deal from Serie A heavyweights AC Milan during the summer transfer window.

Newcastle manager Eddie Howe, whose team has rebounded after losing three of their first four Premier League games, is facing the potential of being unable to rely on Tonali for an extended period of time.

Tonali facing lengthy ban amid addiction

Tonali, who admitted to placing bets on football while being quizzed by prosecutors in his own country, could face a 12-month ban, according to Italian media outlet La Gazzetta dello Sport.

According to the report, if it is discovered that the defensive midfielder gambled on former club AC Milan, he may face a longer suspension than Juventus’ Nicolo Fagioli, who was suspended for seven months by the Italian football federation for breaking rules

Tonali’s agent, Giuseppe Riso, said the summer signing is battling a gambling addiction and collaborating with authorities after arriving to the Turin prosecutor’s office on Tuesday, just 24 hours after training with his Newcastle teammates.

Although the 23-year-old is available to play in Newcastle’s Premier League match against Crystal Palace this weekend since he has not been suspended, his current employers are anxious about the possibility of being unable to call on his services for an extended length of time.

Tonali had a promising start to his Newcastle career, scoring in the first minutes of his debut and going on to make 10 appearances across all competitions.

While respected journalist Jones recently told GIVEMESPORT that the former Brescia talisman could benefit from a period out of the starting line-up as he adjusts to the rigors of the Premier League, it was not expected that a betting investigation would be the reason for his potential lack of involvement in the coming weeks.