Simon Jordan has raised concerns about the thoroughness of Newcastle’s research on Sandro Tonali before acquiring him from AC Milan. He believes that the club’s owners will likely conduct an internal investigation in light of his impending ban.
Jordan has questioned whether Newcastle may have been misled or deceived during the signing process. He also pondered whether the responsibility for disclosing Tonali’s gambling addiction rested with the player’s agent before the club committed to the £55 million transfer just a few months ago.
He acknowledges that it may be difficult to determine the true reasons behind the timing of this announcement and recognizes the complexity of the situation. While character checks are a standard practice in modern football, this issue transcends that and may have been a private struggle that Tonali faced while negotiations were ongoing with Milan in June.
Regardless, Jordan anticipates that Newcastle’s owners will inquire with Dan Ashworth, the club’s scouts, and manager Eddie Howe about whether there were any signs of Tonali’s gambling issues before his arrival.