Hwang’s Saudi teammate reunites in PL after six months? Newcastle call him back
A situation that 19 teams in the English Premier League have been dreading is about to happen.
Newcastle United and Italy international midfielder Sandro Tonali has been charged with illegal sports betting. Tonali has admitted to the charges and is facing a possible ban of at least six months and possibly up to two years.
His immediate departure is a major concern for Newcastle. Newcastle is playing in the UEFA Champions League (UCL) this season. They’ll need reinforcements, and if Tonali’s departure is finalized, they’ll have a tougher road ahead.
Tonali has admitted to the allegations from his time at AC Milan, but he denies that he did it himself and claims that he was encouraged to do so by a third party.
Newcastle, of course, have been quick to respond. With investment from the Saudi Arabian sovereign wealth fund (PIF), Newcastle have no problem signing players. It’s just a matter of how rationally they spend their money.
As Football Insider reported on Tuesday, Newcastle have narrowed down their mid-season search for a replacement for Tonali. Former Wolverhampton midfielder Ruben Neves (Al Hilal) is the favorite.
Saudi club Al Hilal, along with Al Nasr and Al Ittihad, are under the influence of the PIF. Newcastle’s player pipeline is wide open. The club has been on an incredible run, signing both Cristiano Ronaldo (Al Nasr) and Neymar (Al Hilal).도메인
Neves, who played well with Hwang Hee-chan, left for Al Hilal in August for £47 million. Arsenal, Juventus, Paris Saint-Germain, and Manchester City were among the clubs that tried to sign Neves, but Al Hilal, who paid a bigger fee, succeeded.
‘Newcastle will attempt to sign Neves in the winter transfer window, possibly as early as January next year,’ the source added. If an outright move is not possible, he could return to the Premier League on loan.
Tottenham Hotspur have recently been linked with a move for the Al Ittihad starlet. He worked under manager Enze Postecoglou at Celtic in Scotland last season.
Unlike this legitimate interest, Neves says it feels like an insider deal. Other clubs have also pointed out that clubs under the PIF umbrella can feel like they are getting a raw deal.
If Neves were to return to the Premier League via Newcastle, the fallout would be significant. In addition to the scrutiny directed at Newcastle, there is the potential for greater suspicion of Saudi capital. It could be that the Saudis are buying players and then loaning them out to teams like Newcastle where they have influence and a stake.
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