According to Football Insider, Newcastle United is initiating an internal investigation to understand how their recruitment team failed to uncover Sandro Tonali’s serious gambling addiction. The midfielder was signed from AC Milan for approximately £55 million, but he has now been suspended for 10 months, meaning he won’t be able to play in competitive football until the end of August 2024.
The report suggests that Newcastle’s sporting director, Dan Ashworth, and head of recruitment, Steve Nickson, will face questioning and criticism for overlooking such a serious issue. The club is keen to determine how this oversight could have occurred.
It is highly likely that Newcastle will now need to enter the January transfer market to find a short-term replacement for Tonali, who will continue to earn a reported £140,000 a week. Media reports have linked the club with loan moves for Manchester City’s Kalvin Phillips and Al-Hilal’s Ruben Neves.
It is hoped that the investigators can quickly obtain answers to resolve this situation. With many games ahead and Tonali set to face a lengthy ban, the club needs to move forward promptly.