Newcastle United midfielder, Sandro Tonali is set to miss the next 10 months with Italian authorities ready to confirm his ban for illegal betting.
The player’s lawyers have been negotiating with prosecutors and the football federation and an agreement is close.
Tonali’s suspension is also set to include eight months of therapy and his participation in anti-gambling initiatives.
The Italian midfielder admitted to betting on his own teams to win matches, and his agent recently claimed the 23-year-old is a gambling addict.
Corriere dello Sport claim Tonali’s €8million-a-year (£7m) salary will be suspended by Newcastle but the club are yet to confirm this to Mail Sport.
The shocking news comes less than four months after he joined the Premier League club from AC Milan for £52million.
Tonali will be free to train with the team during his suspension, which is set to run until late August of next year. He will miss Euro 2024 and the early weeks of the Premier League season.
Aston Villa’s Nicolo Zaniolo, Juventus’ Nicolo Fagioli, and Newcastle United’s Tonali were all named as part of an investigation being conducted by Turin prosecutors that rocked Italian football.
Juventus midfielder Fagioli was also handed a seven-month ban last week, although the club have agreed to pay his full wages and he will continue to train with the first team.
The 22-year-old secured a significant reduction on the usual minimum sanction of a three-year ban for such offences after admitting his guilt and collaborating with officials.
Meanwhile, Aston Villa confirmed that Zaniolo is assisting the investigation and has recently met with senior club officials. He started in midfield for Villa against West Ham on Sunday.
Tonali also made an admission of guilt and willingness to seek treatment for what his agent described as a ‘gambling addiction’, in a bid to reduce any potential ban.
Tonali has made just 11 appearances for Newcastle since his summer move from Milan.
