Howe facing new Sandro Tonali dilemma as fresh claims emerge ahead of Crystal Palace clash

According to The Mail's Craig Hope, Saturday's game with Crystal Palace could be the last time Sandro Tonali is available for at least 12 months.

He reports that there's now an expectation that the ongoing betting investigation will be resolved in the next week. This would avoid a drawn out saga, but means he'd be immediately suspended sooner than expected and could miss our Champions League clash with Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday.

As a result, Eddie Howe has a big decision to make heading into this weekend's game at St James' Park. It's believed the 23-year-old is available for selection in what could be his last outing for some time. However, Howe must assess if he's in the right frame of mind to play after a turbulent week for the Italian.

The Mail add that Newcastle are exploring all of their legal options - some wonder if AC Milan knew about this before sanctioning a ?55m sale over the summer - and are waiting to hear if the midfielder will be allowed to train with his teammates once the seemingly imminent ban is confirmed.