Newcastle ‘shocked and surprised’ at Tonali revelations after he ‘admits to betting’ on Milan matches

Newcastle United are ‘shocked and surprised’ after Sandro Tonali was named in an Italian football betting probe, according to reports.

Tonali and on-loan Aston Villa forward Nicolo Zaniolo are two of the players name in a betting probe with the Premier League pair being investigated by the Turin Public Prosecutor’s Office.

The Newcastle midfielder and Zaniolo were sent home from the Italy international camp last week and the duo could now face a hefty fine or a ban if they are found guilty.

It was announced yesterday that Juventus midfielder Nicolo Fagioli, who has also been a subject of the investigation, has been handed a seven-month suspension by the Italian Football Federation over a breach of betting rules.

Tonali’s agent, Giuseppe Riso, insists his client is fighting a “gambling addiction”, he said: “Sandro is shocked. I hope this experience will help save his life and also the lives of others with his same addictions, including all those young people who are starting to struggle with this addiction.

“Sandro is playing the most important game of his life, against gambling addiction; he won a lot of big games in his life and I’m sure he’ll win this one too.

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“Sandro is training and is available for selection. Technically he can play on Saturday. He trained yesterday – he said that one hour and a half on the field helped him take his mind off the whole situation and, once again, Newcastle has been very supportive and trying to help him.”

Sky Sports News claims that sources have told them that Newcastle are ‘shocked and surprised at the revelations, but are for now making no comment’.

They also claim that ‘at his hearing on Tuesday he admitted to betting on matches – both in which he played and didn’t play – for Milan to win.’

Tonali has played ten times in all competitions this season and former Tottenham and Aston Villa defender Alan Hutton reckons the Italian brings the “X factor” to Newcastle.

Speaking last month, Hutton told Football Insider: “I think if you look at all their additions since the manager has come in, I think Eddie Howe is doing it step by step.

“We all thought at the beginning that they were going to go out and spend millions and they never did that.

“They brought in proven players that know what the league is all about and then had a little sprinkle of that maverick, the likes of Tonali that are going to be that X factor.

“I think they are on the right track and pushing in the right direction and of course they will pick up even though it has been a rocky start.”