Sandro Tonali: FA investigating whether midfielder broke betting rules following Newcastle move
- Published
Sandro Tonali (right) played against his old club Milan in this season's Champions League for Newcastle
The Football Association is investigating whether banned midfielder Sandro Tonali breached betting rules after joining Newcastle in the summer.
Tonali, 23, was suspended for 10 months by the Italian Football Federation in October for betting on matches involving his teams Brescia and Milan.
The ban was made worldwide.
He joined Newcastle from Milan for £55m in July and the FA is investigating whether he was involved in betting on football following that move.
Meanwhile, Magpies sporting director Dan Ashworth said he did not know if Milan were aware of the betting charges when they sold him.
"It's really difficult for me to get into what other clubs do or don't know," Ashworth said.
"All we can do is look at our own internal investigation and internal process. It's a really difficult question for me to answer - I just don't know.
"It was a massive shock, a massive surprise. Dealing with it was new to all of us. It came from nowhere."
In reply, Milan told the BBC they first learned about the charges from the media and only know what has been reported in the news.
Tonali only made 12 appearances for Eddie Howe's side before the implementation of the ban, which will keep the Italy international out until the start of next season.
The federal prosecutor and Tonali agreed a plea bargain, meaning eight months of his ban will be commuted to "a therapeutic plan" to help "recovery from gambling addiction".
That will include Tonali making at least 16 public appearances in Italy, where he will be expected to speak to young players about the dangers of gambling.
Though unable to play in any matches, Tonali can train alongside his Newcastle team-mates during his ban.
Ashworth said: "Sandro will train with the team and stay connected to the team, maybe coming to watch games.
"It's important he feels a connected part of the club, it is important for his own mental health. [He] won't be spending a large amount of the time away from the club [in Italy].
"There's a regular program with some visits to Italy as part of the program. He will be going back for a day or two at time, but not for a month.
"He's back training. First and foremost, Sandro is a human being. Everyone in this room has done things we shouldn't have done or things we regret. Our first port of call is to look after and support him.
"It's probably more difficult for him than anyone else. We have a programme to support him and thankfully he's able to train with the team, which is great for his mental well-being. We're putting together a programme of what he can and can't do over the coming months to get him back flying in August."
Ashworth would not say whether Tonali's wages are being cut for the duration of his ban.
"Any player's contract situation is private and confidential," he said. "All I can say is that Sandro has been outstanding since this has happened and has been fully collaborative.
"Sandro is a top human being and this is a difficult situation for him to deal with. He feels that he has let himself down."
The Magpies sporting director says the club does not know if a direct replacement will be signed in the January transfer window for the second half of the season.
"We've got quite a number of midfield players and players who can play in different positions," he said. We've got a number of things we can do. It might not be a like-for-like replacement for Sandro.
"It could be a player who can play in a different position or multiple positions. It could be that young Lewis Miley gets more minutes and comes to the fore between now and January."
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