Dan Ashworth, the director of football for Newcastle United, has not ruled out the possibility of the club filing a lawsuit against Milan over the transfer of Sandro Tonali, who received a ten-month ban for violating Italian wagering regulations.
Self-Reflection and Regrets
During an internal inquiry into what transpired under the supervision of Newcastle’s majority Saudi Arabian owners, Ashworth admitted to having doubts about his own involvement in Tonali’s acquisition.
“As soon as it occurred, you began to examine yourself,” advised Ashworth, the former technical director of the Football Association. In retrospect, he would not have chosen to hire Tonali. “In what ways could we have improved? What more might I have accomplished? Which insights can be gleaned? Were we capable of knowing? We ought to have known. Being a major acquisition and a star player, we will mourn him.”
Uncertainty Over Milan’s Awareness
Much hinges on whether Milan could have been aware of Tonali’s predicaments and the Italian police investigation into unlawful betting, which accelerated over the summer. Tonali’s agent has stated that the 23-year-old is undergoing corrective therapy for a gambling addiction.
Milan stated last night that they were previously unaware of the issues. “Our initial awareness of Tonali’s gambling addiction came from media reports; our knowledge is limited to what we have read.” “At this time, nothing else is known,” Milan said in a club statement.
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Prior to this, Ashworth had stated, “I find it extremely challenging to discern what other clubs do or do not know.” Although he refrained from confirming or denying whether Newcastle was pursuing legal action against Milan, he made it obvious that Tonali’s agent was not to blame. “Our sole recourse is to examine our internal investigation and internal procedure.” It is extremely challenging for me to provide an answer; I simply do not know.
Support for Sandro Tonali
“One examines their procedures. Since I began doing this sixteen years ago, nothing comparable has ever occurred. We take great pride in conducting thorough research and selecting suitable characters. A substantial quantity of time is devoted to examining both the athlete and the character. The boundaries of what individuals can and cannot access or verify are exceedingly complex in the realm of GDPR [general data protection regulation].
Initially, however, I examine myself. We have not yet generated any ideas or solutions. It is almost as if other technical and sporting directors are asking, “How could you have known?” It induced a profound and overwhelming surprise. We were all unfamiliar with dealing with it. “It appeared out of nowhere.”
Financial Fair Play Constraints
Since the clubs drew 0-0 at San Siro in September in the Champions League, Ashworth stated that there had been “no conversations” with Milan and that Newcastle would welcome them to St. James’ Park in December “just like PSG and Dortmund.”
It is believed that Tonali has agreed to a substantial wage reduction of approximately £120,000 per week during his suspension; however, he will continue to train with the team. Ashworth shares Howe’s profound compassion for the player and is certain Newcastle will provide him with its full backing.
“Sandro is back in training, but he is a human being first and foremost. And we have a programme in place to assist him,” he explained. “Since this incident occurred, Sandro has been exceptional and completely collaborative. “He is an exceptional human being.”
Despite the fact that Newcastle’s ability to manipulate the transfer market in January is constrained by financial fair play regulations, Ashworth will make every effort to bolster Howe’s squad. He suspects that by then, Newcastle’s policy regarding the loan of players from Saudi Arabian clubs owned by the Public Investment Fund may have been tightened. “According to the current regulations, nothing can stop it,” Ashworth stated. “At present.” The PIF club Al-Hilal is currently evaluating Rúben Neves, a player.
English FA’s Investigation
Ashworth stated that Tonali and the English FA had been “collaborative” and “transparent” regarding his wagering issues. At present, there is no indication that the FA is contemplating initiating an investigation into a Newcastle midfielder who has received assistance from specific executives. Ashworth stated, “I am certain Sandro has received some messages of support from board members.”
Although the Football Association (FA) verified yesterday that it has initiated an investigation into possible violations of its betting regulations subsequent to Tonali’s transfer from Milan in July, an extension of the current 10-month ban is improbable.
