Newcastle United now know exactly when Sandro Tonali will be back from his ban, and the countdown is on.
The 23-year-old received a 10-month ban back in October 2023 after being investigated by the Italian Football Federation for betting. That decision rocked Newcastle United‘s season, and has been a key factor behind their struggles.
Following the Italian Football Federation’s investigation, the FA have also looked into Sandro Tonali‘s gambling. He was hit with another 50 charges, leading to fears that his ban could be extended.
Sandro Tonali available again from August 27th
However, Newcastle’s hope was that any additional suspension would be suspended and run concurrently with the initial one, and that has proven to be the case.
The FA handed Tonali a suspended two-month ban, as well as a £20,000 fine. That means he will be free to play again from August 27th.
At the beginning of next season, Tonali will be back. That is incredibly exciting, as fans really took to the midfielder during his formative months on Tyneside. On top of that, he has received so much support during his suspension.
Meanwhile, Tonali has still been able to train with his teammates, while he has also worked on his English.
How Tonali has looked in Newcastle United training
It has been vitally important that Tonali has been allowed to continue training during his ban, and it sounds like he has made quite the impression behind the scenes.
According to the Athletic, Newcastle insiders have been amazed by how good the Italy international has looked in training.
They add that people inside the club are very excited for him to be available again, having used this layoff to improve athletically and work on what it takes to succeed in the Premier League.
Premier League will see the real Tonali next season
With Tonali due back at the end of August, that means he may only miss five more Premier League games. Newcastle United have three games remaining of this campaign, while the 2024/25 season kicks off on August 17th. That will mean two rounds of fixtures will have taken place before Tonali can play again.
The countdown is very much on, and it will not be long before we get to see the real Sandro Tonali.
While he is a fan favourite, we only saw glimpses of his talent at the beginning of the season. He was exceptional on his debut against Aston Villa, but the rest of his appearances were nowhere near as straightforward. It was unclear what his role was, while it was evident that he would need a settling in period.
This ban has forced Tonali to take a step back, and all he has been able to do as a footballer is train. He should know his role inside out now, which is bad news for the rest of the Premier League.
But it is great news for Eddie Howe, who could suddenly have an even better midfielder than the one he signed for £55million last summer.
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