Jamie Carragher says Newcastle 'didn't do due diligence' on £52m gambling-ban star Sandro Tonali and their 'mistake' on his private life means they SHOULDN'T now be allowed to sign Ruben Neves

Jamie Carragher has slammed Newcastle for not doing their 'due diligence' before signing Sandro Tonali, and believes they shouldn't be allowed to sign Ruben Neves. 

The Magpies signed the Italian midfielder from AC Milan for £52m during the summer transfer window.

Tonali though was handed a ten-month ban from football for illegal betting during his time at the Serie A club, ruling him out for the remainder of the season. 

Newcastle will be able to sign players on loan from sides also controlled by their Saudi owners, after a vote by Premier League clubs on a temporary ban on related-party-loans did not receive the required support. This means they could make a move for Al-Hilal star Ruben Neves, who they have been linked with.  

Speaking on the Stick to Football podcast on The Overlap, Carragher criticised the Magpies for their signing of Tonali and questioned whether they should be allowed to sign Neves.

He said: 'When we talk about Newcastle and think about Sandro Tonali - they've bought a player from AC Milan, and you could argue that Newcastle haven't done their due diligence. 

'They don't know what's going on in this guy's private life.

'They've spent a lot of money and are going to lose the player – that should hurt them as a club because they haven't done things the right way. 

'They shouldn't then be allowed to go and get, for instance, Ruben Neves, who is a £50 million player for free on loan because they've made a mistake. If they've made a mistake, they should pay for it.'

It was generally accepted, prior to the Premier League shareholder vote on a temporary ban on incoming loan deals between clubs with the same owners, that the motion would be passed.

Instead, it fell short of the necessary 14 votes to pass thanks to eight rebel clubs keen to maintain the status quo.

Of the clubs in question - Chelsea , Man City, Newcastle, Everton, Nottingham Forest, Sheffield United, Wolves, and Burnley - only Wolves stand alone with no clear vested interest; no potential talent-sharing deal in the offing, or new ownership looking to add another club to its stable.

Clubs often use others in their network to send players on loan to gain experience, and many did not want to risk that avenue being closed. 

The proposal to prevent loan deals from happening was initially put forward at the end of last season, after Newcastle's Saudi PIF owners took ownership control of the four leading clubs in the Saudi Pro League - Al-Ittihad, Al-Nassr, Al-Hilal, and Al-Ahli.

More to follow...