Newcastle manager Eddie Howe has argued against “throwing the book” at Sandro Tonali after the midfielder was charged by the FA with more than 50 alleged breaches of betting rules.
Italy international Tonali’s alleged offences relate to bets he wagered after joining the Magpies from Milan for £55 million in July 2023, reportedly taking place between August 12 and October 12 – two weeks before he was suspended from football for 10 months.
The 23-year-old has admitted to being a gambling addict and is undergoing rehabilitation while training with Newcastle and taking part in friendlies behind closed doors.
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“That illness didn’t stop when he moved to England,” said Howe. “That illness was there and people should look at it that way – not ‘let’s throw the book at him and punish him even further’, because I don’t think that gets to the root of the problem.
“We need to protect all our players. This is something that’s open to everybody and becoming a bigger problem in society. This isn’t just a problem for Sandro.”
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… pic.twitter.com/x62qU4hx5A
— Newcastle United FC (@NUFC) March 28, 2024
Sandro Tonali: Newcastle offer ‘full support’
Tonali has until April 5 to respond to the FA. “Sandro continues to fully comply with relevant investigations and he retains the club’s full support,” Newcastle said in a statement on Thursday.
“Due to this ongoing process, Sandro and Newcastle United are unable to offer further comment at this time.”
Brentford and England striker Ivan Toney served an eight-month ban in 2023 for 232 breaches of the FA’s gambling regulations before returning to competitive action in January.
Newcastle host West Ham in the first Premier League match after the international break on Saturday (12:30 GMT), when Howe wants a victory which would move his side a point behind the seventh-placed Hammers with a game in hand.
“We want to be closing that gap,” said Howe. “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 [3-0 win on March 2] and we are desperate to carry that on again.
“This is a home game: expectation will be on us, so we will attack the game in the way we know we can.”
