Newcastle fear 'gambling addict' Sandro Tonali will be given a lengthy suspension for his role in an Italian betting scandal, talkSPORT understands.
Sources in Italy claim Tonali has admitted to placing wagers on AC Milan to win while playing for the Serie A side.
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Tonali's Italy teammate Nicolo Fagiolo has already been given a worldwide ban of seven months for breaching betting rules.
As it stands Tonali, whose agent had admitted he is fighting a gambling addiction, can still be selected by Newcastle for Saturday's game at Crystal Palace.
His agent, Giuseppe Riso, said: "He is playing his most important game - against betting addiction.
"He’s in shock, he’s very sad. He has to face this situation. He is training at the moment (at Newcastle). He told me he trained very well. He can play Saturday.”
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Tonali scored on his Premier League debut in their 5-1 win against Villa, his only Magpies goal to date.
Newcastle spent £52million to sign him from AC Milan, but suggestions in Italy are that he could be facing a ban of 12 months.
Newcastle currently sit eighth in the table and are also top of their Champions League group with their most recent European outing seeing them trounce Paris Saint-Germain 4-1 at St James' Park.
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