Newcastle manager Eddie Howe has appealed to the Football Association not to extend Sandro Tonali's current 10-month worldwide suspension, after the midfielder was charged with 50 alleged betting offences by the governing body. Tonali, who joined Newcastle from Milan for £55m last summer, has been sidelined since October and is currently banned until 27 August after admitting to breaches during his Serie A career.
“I’ll be hugely disappointed if the ban’s extended,” Howe said on Friday. “I certainly hope there are no further consequences for Sandro.” The Italian Federation had already imposed the ban, and Howe hopes any FA sanctions will run concurrently, allowing the 23-year-old to return early next season. “He’s suffered, he’s sought help, he’s been very honest,” Howe added.
Howe emphasised that Tonali’s gambling addiction should be viewed as an illness. “Sandro’s illness didn’t stop when he moved from Italy to England; people should look at it that way, not: ‘Let’s throw the book at him and let’s punish him even further.’” Howe insisted he does not feel let down and noted that thorough due diligence cannot uncover deeply personal issues.
In other squad updates, Howe confirmed that 17-year-old Lewis Miley will miss the rest of the season due to a back problem, cautioning that the teenager’s developing body needs protection. Meanwhile, defender Sven Botman has undergone ACL repair surgery after initially delaying the procedure, with Howe defending the decision not to force the operation.
