Almost a year. That’s the period in which the promising Premier League defensive midfielder, Sandro Tonali, has been sidelined due to his well-known suspension. To understand the origin, we must go back to October 2023, when the FIGC sentenced one of its stars to a painful purgatory. Tonali admitted to having breached the rule that prohibits professionals from betting on football events organized by UEFA and FIFA during his time at Milan in his home country.

The talented Lodi prospect swapped sophisticated Milan for the vibrant northeastern city of Newcastle upon Tyne, situated on the banks of the River Tyne, in England. This move was part of a project to build a superteam, thanks to the club's substantial financial backing.

Indeed, despite not being a historically legendary team in England, the Saudi sovereign wealth fund, Public Investment Fund, transformed the Magpies into the richest club in the world, surpassing, by a significant margin, other extremely wealthy Arab-owned clubs like Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City.

Tonali joined Newcastle in July 2023 for £55 million (64 million euros), becoming the second most expensive signing in the club's history, only behind young Swedish forward Alexander Isak. His ban came after he had played 12 matches for the Magpies, who had an exciting season ahead with their third historic qualification for the Champions League, following a solid 4th place finish in the Premier League 2022–23.

Though, the season was not as smooth as the previous one, with Newcastle ending up 7th in the league, just behind Manchester United (8th), with whom they were tied on points (60). A draw in the 38º week of the PL for the Red Devils helped Newcastle keep their place in the top-7.

This bittersweet feeling was compounded by their exits in the FA Cup and Carabao Cup quarterfinals. Moreover, they faltered in the "Group of Death" in the UEFA Champions League, finishing last with no chance of lifting any trophy after their heavy summer investment.

Newcastle was the most conceding team (63) in the top 10 last year, just behind Chelsea and West Ham. The Magpies sorely missed their linchpin, who had formed a fascinating partnership with the team's other star, Bruno Guimarães, at the start of the previous season. The double pivot lasted only eight league matches before the ban was enforced, leaving the Carioca Guimarães, like Gary Cooper, facing danger alone.

Now, a new paradigm opens up for a starving Tonali, who already knows his return date: "The club has received formal confirmation from the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) that the player's suspension will extend until Tuesday, 27 August, inclusive," the English club revealed in an official statement.

The 24-year-old midfielder is expected to return to the field in the Carabao Cup against Nottingham Forest, as he has been training with the Newcastle team throughout pre-season. The midfielder is ready for the challenge. 

However, it seems more likely that he will truly make his re-debut with Newcastle at home, at St James' Park, in the Premier League against Tottenham on Sunday, 1 September. This moment will serve as the team's new major signing following the arrivals of Lewis Hall, Odysseas Vlachodimos, and William Osula. While these three signings are significant, they don't generate as much excitement as the return of Italian playmaker Sandro Tonali.