Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe is hopeful Sandro Tonali will not get a longer ban after being accused of more betting breaches by the Football Association.
On Thursday, the FA stated that the Italy international was accused of misconduct related to betting breaches, allegedly making 50 football bets from 12 August to 12 October last year.
The 23-year-old is currently serving a 10-month suspension for betting offenses while playing for AC Milan in Italy. His ban ends on 24 August 2024.
Reports suggest Newcastle believe Tonali will not have his football ban extended and will instead receive a punishment that runs alongside his current one.
Howe said he doesn't know what will happen to Tonali but believes he has already 'suffered enough'.
'It was no surprise to us,' Howe said. 'Sandro has been honest with us and the authorities about what happened.
'It was no surprise and we have been supporting him through this process.
'We don't know [if the ban will be extended],' Howe said. 'I certainly hope for Sandro that there are no further consequences.
'He has suffered during this period, he has sought help, and he has been very honest. The best thing for Sandro would be to resume his career after learning a valuable lesson.'
'You can’t quantify how much we’ve missed him this season.
'It’s been frustrating beyond belief. If the ban was extended, we would still be feeling that pain, and so would Sandro. He wants to play football.'
Tonali signed with the Magpies in July for £55 million and is unable to play until the end of August. He played 12 games for the club before being suspended.
