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Sandro Tonali’s time at Newcastle could up due to a lack of game time following his return from suspension. Tonali missed a large part of his first season at St. James’ Park after being handed a ten-month ban for breaching betting regulations. His offence predated his time on Tyneside with Newcastle bosses spending most of their summer budget to bring him in from the San Siro. He has lacked consistent game time since his return from suspension, leading to rumours about his future at the club. Italian publication Gazzetta dello Sport reports that his troubles at Newcastle mean he wants to leave his ‘beloved AC Milan. ’ He has made 13 appearances in the Premier League this season, starting from the bench seven times, totalling just 650 minutes. Speaking earlier this year, the former Milan man opened up about his difficult debut season in England. He said: “Last year was a very hard, but very productive journey. I will always carry with me the memory of the year I spent off the field because it is right not to forget it. “I think when a player trains all week without his ultimate goal, which is the game, he finds a sense of emptiness within himself. "It wasn’t easy to be away from home for the first year without playing an official game, but just trying to maintain fitness. That was the challenge I had to take as seriously as possible. ” The 24-year-old has recently been used as a defensive midfielder, a move that has produced some stronger performances from him. Tonali’s rumoured appetite for a move away from the Premier League has ‘caught the attention’ of AC Milan, Inter Milan and Juventus, the report adds. However, his salary could prove problematic for some, at £9million per season, a figure that is off the radar for some Italian clubs. Tonali returned to the San Siro last month for Italy’s 3-1 defeat to France and was welcomed by the home fans. This warm reception could just be the invitation he was after, with rumours now suggesting he could make a permanent switch as Newcastle look to find ways to free up financial wiggle room. talk SPORT understands that Newcastle are under pressure to sell players to avoid breaching Premier League spending rules. Newcastle are braced for a January bid from Manchester City for star midfielder Bruno Guimaraes. While City are not usually big spenders in the winter window, they are expected to back manager Pep Guardiola after he committed his future to the Etihad Stadium last month. Replacing the injured Rodri is seen by Guardiola as key to getting the champions’ stuttering season back on track and Guimaraes featured prominently on their list of summer targets. talk SPORT has been told Newcastle remain under pressure to sell players to avoid breaching Premier League spending rules with Guimaraes and Alexander Isak are their two most lucrative assets. Some fans may welcome seeing the back of Tonali, but selling the more beloved Guimaraes and Isak will not go down well with the Newcastle faithful. Newcastle’s next game is against Leicester on Saturday at St James' Park. The Toon currently sit in 12th place in the Premier League table with 20 points after 15 matches played. © 2024 talk SPORT Limited
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