Sandro Tonali receives suspended FA ban

It has been confirmed by the Football Association (FA) that Sandro Tonali has been given a suspended two-month ban from competitive football.

An independent regulatory commission looked into Tonali’s breaches of betting rules after the Italian international admitted guilt and is reportedly undergoing rehabilitation for a gambling ban.

Following his £55 million move from AC Milan to Newcastle United in last summer’s transfer window, Tonali was at the centre of a gambling controversy in Italian football and was eventually banned by the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) for a period of ten months from October 2023.

The suspended ban imposed by the FA means that the 23-year-old midfielder will be allowed to return to play for Newcastle from the start of the 2024/25 campaign.

He is expected to return to a Magpies side that, well coached by Eddie Howe, are expected to finish tucked inside the top six or seven in the Premier League and in UEFA competition once again next season.

Tonali began his career with Brescia before moving to Milan in 2020 on an initial loan and then a permanent basis in 2021 before his move to the north east of England last year. He has been capped 15 times without scoring for the Azzurri, too.