by As Dan Ashworth waits to find out when he will be able to start work as Manchester United’s new director of football, the last thing he wants is to be reminded of a costly mistake he made during his time in charge of the Newcastle.
Ashworth did many good things during his 18 months as sporting director at Newcastle, but the signing of Sandro Tonali was not one of them.
The second most expensive player he bought during his time on Tyneside leaves a legacy of shame that has once again been thrust into the spotlight.
Newcastle thought they had scored a major coup when they signed the Italy international from AC Milan for £56 million in July, but it has turned into a disastrous piece of business.
In October, following an investigation by the Italian Football Association, Tonali was exposed as a serial gambler who repeatedly broke gambling rules at Brescia and AC Milan.
In England, the Football Association has now confirmed he continued to gamble on matches after signing for Newcastle, releasing a statement on Thursday confirming he has been charged with a further 50 offences.
Tonali’s agent admitted in October that his client was an addict, going public with the player’s personal problems before his punishment was confirmed. Newcastle’s big summer signing was duly hit with a 10-month international ban by the Italian FA.
Newcastle’s desire to support the player and Tonali’s genuine depravity when he came clean, as well as his willingness to co-operate with the authorities, both in Italy and England, inspired sympathy. Gaming addiction – like any – destroys lives and Tonali did exactly that.
‘He was tasked with doing due diligence’
However, there is no doubt that the controversy leaves a stain on Ashworth’s reputation. As sports director it was his task to do the due diligence on each new signing and it was a big issue that he didn’t find that.
Newcastle spent a lot of money, especially given their profit and sustainability budget constraints last summer, on a player who has only made 12 appearances for the club and won’t play for them again until the end of August.
AC Milan insisted they had no idea Tonali had a gambling problem – and sources told Telegraph Sport he had gone to great lengths to keep it a secret – but Newcastle and Ashworth are left to kick the can. behavior.
The Italian club were happy to sell one of their crown jewels and the Newcastle hierarchy couldn’t believe their luck. It brings to mind the old saying, if something seems too good to be true, it probably is.
Newcastle cannot prove AC Milan knew anything about Tonali’s gambling problem and have privately told Telegraph Sport they believe the Italian club when they say they didn’t.
AC Milan continue to strongly deny that they had any prior knowledge of the investigation by the Italian FA, claiming that the need to sell Tonali last summer was purely financial.
Afterwards, Ashworth, when he spoke to reporters in November, insisted that there was no way anyone could have known about the private problems of a player of this nature, when he kept his addiction under wraps. secret from those around him.
What he said makes sense, but that doesn’t mean he didn’t make a mistake. It was Ashworth who flew out to Milan to finalize the negotiations. It was Ashworth who dealt with the player and his representatives and met his family. It was also his job to do background checks, no matter how difficult or inconvenient they might be.
There are extenuating circumstances, of course, but regardless, Newcastle’s season was severely damaged by the loss of Tonali in October. He was the signing who lifted manager Eddie Howe’s first team and has been without his services for 10 months.
The FA is unlikely to extend Tonali’s ban, although this will be decided by an independent commission next month.
Newcastle believe a penalty will run concurrently
In all discussions Newcastle have had with the game’s governing body, they have been given the understanding that the penalty for gambling on matches while registered as a player in England will run concurrently with the current 10-month ban.
That was the right result. Tonali was heavily punished once and that was enough. He needs help and support for addiction, not even longer ban. The 23-year-old has already lost enough of his playing career. It would be cruel to take away even more of it.
But as Ashworth sits at home, put on gardening leave by Newcastle after telling them he wanted to work for Manchester United, it’s a painful reminder of the mistake he and Newcastle made.
If they had any inkling of a gambling problem they would not have signed Tonali. It’s as simple as that. And because it was signed by Ashworth, his fingerprints cannot be erased.
That might be harsh, but that’s the nature of the business he’s in. Football managers are blamed when results are bad and sporting directors do the same when transfer mistakes are made.
Ashworth is one of the best sporting directors around, which is why Manchester United wanted him, although they will have to pay a large compensation fee to release him early from a gardening holiday that lasts until the end of 2025.
But he left Newcastle after signing a huge money player who barely kicked a ball. It’s a mistake he can’t repeat when he finally gets to work at Old Trafford.
