Jamie Carragher stirred up controversy on Thursday with his remarks regarding the potential replacement of Sandro Tonali with Ruben Neves at Newcastle United.
Sandro Tonali is currently serving a ban until August 2024 for betting, prompting Newcastle to explore options for a replacement. One player in consideration is Ruben Neves, who currently plays for Al Hilal in Saudi Arabia. Both Newcastle and Al Hilal are owned by PIF, leading to objections from Newcastle’s rivals.
Despite attempts to impose a temporary ban on clubs loaning players from a common owner through a Premier League vote, the proposal did not pass. This leaves Newcastle free to sign Neves on loan in January, although there are doubts about whether they will pursue this option.
Jamie Carragher expressed his disapproval of Newcastle potentially acquiring Neves to replace Tonali. He argued that Newcastle should face consequences for their oversight in not conducting proper due diligence before acquiring Tonali from AC Milan.
Carragher’s comments went viral on social media, and in response to criticism from a Newcastle fan account, ‘The Magpie Channel,’ Carragher defended his stance. He emphasized that if a team makes a mistake with a player, they shouldn’t be allowed to sign a player on loan from a club they have affiliations with.
While Carragher’s initial point may have been poorly worded, it appears he meant it’s unfair for Newcastle to find an easy solution by securing a player from another club owned by the same entity. However, the controversy arises when considering the situation if another Premier League club attempts to sign Neves.
The entire argument may be moot, as Newcastle is unlikely to pursue a loan for Ruben Neves, especially since they opted for Tonali in the summer, which has not yielded positive results. Carragher’s criticism of Newcastle’s due diligence is countered by the fact that the information regarding Tonali’s ban might not have been available to the club at the time.
Ultimately, it is an unfortunate situation for Newcastle United, and they continue to show support for Sandro Tonali amid the challenges.
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