AC Milan has publicly denied any prior knowledge of Sandro Tonali’s gambling addiction amid concerns of further repercussions for the Newcastle player.
The 23-year-old Italian international recently faced disciplinary action for violating gambling regulations sanctioned by the Italian Football Federation (FIGC).
As a consequence, he received a 10-month ban from all football-related activities, along with an additional eight months of therapy-assisted rehabilitation.
Furthermore, FIFA has officially ratified this suspension, making it applicable on a global scale.
Tonali’s transfer to Newcastle occurred earlier in the summer from AC Milan for a reported £55 million ($68 million), sparking speculation about whether the Rossoneri were aware of his gambling addiction.
In the midst of these discussions, Newcastle’s sporting director, Dan Ashworth, acknowledged the possibility but emphasised that confirming such knowledge is “really difficult.”
“It’s really difficult for me to get into what other clubs do or don’t know,” said Ashworth. “All we can do is look at our own internal investigation and internal process. It’s a really difficult question for me to answer; I just don’t know.”
This prompted the Lombardy Club to release an official statement as a response to Ashworth’s statement.
“We first learned about Tonali’s addiction through media reports and what we know is only what we read. We don’t know anything else.”
The FA have also reportedly started a separate investigation to find out if Tonali continued with his habit after shifting base to the shores of England, as his agent, Giuseppe Riso, admitted that the player was struggling with a gambling addiction.
Tonali will not be available for selection for Newcastle until the end of August 2024 and the club is mulling over bringing in a replacement in the winter transfer window for the midfielder.