Sandro Tonali has been making headlines in Italy yet again.
However, this time it is not more of the endless fantasy transfer speculation, whereby journalists keep making up reports that the Newcastle United star is set to return very soon to Serie A.
Instead, this relates to the events that led to a ban of ten months not long after Sandro Tonali arrived at St James’ Park.
The Italy international ending up at the heart of a betting scandal that gripped the nation, Sandro Tonali eventually having the authorities catching up with a number of players, due to what had happened over a period of time while playing in Serie A.
With the football authorities, the Italy FA quickly decided on the near-year long ban from world football for Sandro Tonali.
Now the country’s court system have also reached a conclusion.
Corriere della Sera report on the case that Sandro Tonali has avoided what would have been a lengthy prison sentence, by agreeing to pay a huge fine of €78,250 (Approx £67,600).
The positive news for Sandro Tonali though is that this finally brings the whole matter to an end. It is now coming up to three years at Newcastle United for the player, so a long time for it to be hanging over him.
Around 20 other people in the case have also been punished by the courts.
Sandro Tonali and other players were using illegal betting platforms (and in the case of Tonali and Fagioli also found to have ‘advertised’ these illegal betting platforms to other players). To pay off their gambling debts that would run up, the players would make bank transfers to a jewellery business front, pretending to buy very expensive Rolex watches, purchases that in fact were never really made. Only used to cover the fact that the cash was to pay off the gambling debts.