Newcastle United chief reveals January transfer plans after Sandro Tonali ban
Following an investigation by Italian prosecutors, it was confirmed last week that Tonali has been handed a 10-month ban from football for breaching betting rules, and the punishment has been ratified by FIFA.
Tonali is currently able to train with Newcastle but he is unable to play for the club for the rest of the 2023-24 campaign and will also miss Euro 2024 should Italy qualify – the midfielder's ban is due to expire on August 27, 2024.
Ashworth has revealed that he was left 'shocked' and 'surprised' by the news of Tonali's gambling addiction and has questioned his role in the 23-year-old's transfer as the club oversee an internal probe into his move to St James' Park.
The Magpies chief, who arrived at the club in February, has also refused to rule out legal action being initiated against Tonali's former club AC Milan, who sold the midfielder to Newcastle for a reported £55m in the summer.
With Tonali facing a lengthy spell away from first-team action, Newcastle have been tipped to delve into the January transfer market to sign a new midfielder.
Ashworth has revealed that Newcastle may not recruit a direct replacement for Tonali in the winter window, but he has admitted that the club are always planning ahead to strengthen their squad and are prepared to bring future spending forward if the «right opportunities» were to arise.
Speaking as part on an in-depth Q&A on Friday, as quoted by The Telegraph, Ashworth said: «We always look two windows in advance, so we will have planned for what we
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