Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe said the FA’s decision to charge Sandro Tonali over alleged betting breaches came as no surprise to the club and he hopes the midfielder escapes further punishment.
Tonali, who is already serving a 10-month ban from the Italian Football Federation over betting breaches when he was playing in Serie A, was charged by the FA on Thursday for allegedly breaking its rules 50 times by placing bets on matches between August 12 and October 12, 2023.
Newcastle signed Tonali in July last year for a reported fee of 70 million euros ($75.48 million) - making him the most expensive Italian player in history.
Yet he was told on October 12 that he was involved in an investigation by prosecutors in Italy and was banned two weeks later, effectively ending his debut season with Newcastle.
The 23-year-old made eight appearances in the league this season, scoring one goal. His agent had said he was suffering from a gambling addiction.
“It (the FA charge) was no surprise to us. It may have been externally, but we’ve been supporting him through this process,” Howe told reporters.
“Sandro from day one was very honest with the club, the authorities about what he had done and the issues he had.
“He is seeking help on a regular basis. This is something which won’t go away for him, so he has regular meetings in Italy and England to deal with the problems he has.”
Asked if he thought Tonali’s ban would be extended, Howe said: “We don’t know. I certainly hope for Sandro that there is no further consequences.”
“I’m really positive about his comeback, whenever that is, and the impact it will have on the team,” he added.
Newcastle is 10th in the standings on 40 points. It hosts seventh placed West Ham United, who is four points above, on Saturday.
“We want to be closing that gap, they have done well, they are a dangerous team. We are back at home, we left on a good note in our last game against Wolves and we are desperate to carry that on again,” Howe said.
“The last 10 games are a really good opportunity to finish the season strongly.”
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