Newcastle United have confirmed midfielder Sandro Tonali will be free to return to competitive action from August 28 in a boost to Eddie Howe’s side ahead of the Premier League season.

Tonali will miss Premier League matches against Southampton and Bournemouth, as well as the Carabao Cup tie against Nottingham Forest, but be back available for the start of September.

His first game back, should manager Howe choose to use him, will be the home match against Tottenham Hotspur on September 1.

Tonali is currently serving a 10-month ban after breaching betting rules. He hasn’t played competitive football since October after the Italian federation suspended the midfielder for gambling offences while at Brescia and Milan.

England’s Football Association (FA) also placed a suspended two-month ban on Tonali for placing 50 bets on matches between August 2023 and October 2023, having arrived from Milan in July for £55 million.

At 24 years old, the Italian midfielder is more than capable of getting his career back on track.

He made just seven starts and four substitute appearances across the Premier League and Champions League last season before his punishment came into effect.

It’s been a busy summer for Newcastle and Howe, who is working to improve his options after finishing seventh last season.

William Osula, Lewis Hall, Lloyd Kelly, Odysseas Vlachodimas and John Ruddy have been brought in to bolster squad depth, with more activity expected before the transfer window concludes at the end of the month.

The club have been heavily linked with Crystal Palace and England centre back Marc Guehi.