Sandro Tonali return date confirmed after Newcastle United release statement amid FA betting probe

Sandro Tonali will be available for Newcastle United from August 26 after being given a two-month suspended ban by the FA for breaching betting regulations.

The Italian - who arrived last summer for £55million - has not featured since October. Italian authorities slapped him with a 10-month suspension for using an illicit gambling app to place bets on football.

This included gambling on his own team, AC Milan, just months before his big-money move to Tyneside. The FA later charged Tonali with separate offences in March for bets placed while as a Newcastle player.

A club statement has now confirmed the FA have decided against increasing his ban - but the additional two months will be served if found guilty again. The midfielder’s co-operation with the investigation and existing ban resulted in no further extension.

“Newcastle United midfielder Sandro Tonali has been given a suspended two-month ban from competitive football by an independent Regulatory Commission after self-declaring breaches of FA Betting Rules,” a Newcastle statement read. “He has also been fined £20,000 and warned by the FA as to his future conduct.

“The banning period is fully suspended for the duration of the 2024-25 season, meaning he will be available to return to competitive football upon the conclusion of an existing ten-month sanction imposed by the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) on 27 October 2023.

Provided that he does not commit any further breach of the FA Betting Rules during the suspension period, Sandro will not serve any part of the two-month sanction. As acknowledged by the FA in the independent Regulatory Commission’s written reasons, the level of assistance Sandro has provided by self-referring and fully cooperating with a subsequent investigation is extraordinary and unprecedented. 

“Sandro made full admissions as to his betting activity, and did so in circumstances where there was no other evidence to support misconduct proceedings. Sandro is continuing to follow a therapeutic plan and educational programme with the club's full support and will continue to train with his teammates.”