Suspended Newcastle United star Sandro Tonali charged by FA for allegedly breaching their betting rules
Newcastle United midfielder Sandro Tonali has been accused of breaking gambling regulations by the Football Association. The Italian, who is already serving a suspension, could miss further time with new charges launched against him.
A statement from the FA read:
"Sandro Tonali has been charged with misconduct in relation to alleged breaches of The FA's Betting Rules. It's alleged that the Newcastle United midfielder breached FA Rule E8 50 times by placing bets on football matches between 12 August 2023 and 12 October 2023. Sandro Tonali has until 5 April 2024 to respond."
The 23-year-old is already under a 10-month suspension for breaking gambling rules in his tenure with AC Milan. Alongside the suspension, he was hit with a fine of €20,000 and was ordered to take up an eight-month therapy course.
Tonali joined Newcastle from AC Milan in the summer for a fee of £55 million. However, he was hit with the ban in October, meaning he is now ineligible to feature for the Magpies until August 2024. However, he is still allowed to train with the team and feature in friendlies.
Newcastle released a statement that read:
"Newcastle United acknowledges a misconduct charge received by Sandro Tonali in respect of alleged breaches of FA betting rules. Sandro continues to fully comply with relevant investigations and he retains the club's full support. Due to this ongoing process, Sandro and Newcastle United are unable to offer further comment at this time."
The 50 new charges are not believed to affect this status, according to Sky Sports News. However, since he had already become a Newcastle United player by the time of the charges, the case falls under the FA's jurisdiction. They could decide to add a further ban to the player's current suspension.
Newcastle United eye Serie A star to bolster defense: Reports
Newcastle United are considering a move for Atalanta center-back Giorgio Scalvini. According to journalist Dean Jones, the Magpies are keen on adding the impressive 20-year-old to bolster their backline.
Sven Botman, who was signed from French side Lille last season, suffered a horrific ACL injury in the side's FA Cup clash against Manchester City. Reports suggest that he could miss up to nine months, meaning the Magpies need a starter in central defense until the Dutchman returns.
Scalvini has impressed in Serie A since making his debut as a 17-year-old for Atalanta in October 2021. Despite being just 20 years old, he already has close to 100 appearances for the side, while also making eight appearances with the Italian national side.