Newcastle are considering lowering Sandro Tonali’s salary after the midfielder received a 10-month gambling suspension.
Tonali’s cooperation helped lower the penalty from a potential total of three years to 10 months; but, he’ll still be gone for a significant amount of time, and the Italian’s suffering may now be compounded as his team considers reducing his earnings during the ban. While the exact details of the suspension are unknown, The Telegraph reports that the club is currently in discussions with lawyers about the possibility of reducing Tonali’s wages during this time, with some in Italy believing his ‘salary will be suspended,’ meaning he could lose £11 million in wages.
The ban, which terminates his hopes of playing for the rest of the season and also prevents him from competing in Euro 2024 if Italy qualifies, is related to gambling offenses Tonali committed when playing for AC Milan in Italy.
He received a warm welcome at St. James Park over the weekend, when his future was in doubt, but Newcastle supporters will now have to wait a long time to see the Italian star in action again.
With Tonali out for the rest of the season, it’s expected that the Toon will look to sign a replacement midfielder during the January transfer window to help them compete in the Premier League and Europe. Felix Nmecha of Borussia Dortmund, who scored against Newcastle in the Champions League in midweek, might be a potential target.
