Report: Newcastle could now turn to ‘underrated’ Tottenham star as Tonali replacement

Newcastle United are still waiting to hear exactly how long they're going to be without midfielder Sandro Tonali.

The 23-year-old Italian is still waiting to find out his fate after admitting to being involved in an illegal betting scandal and betting on AC Milan games as a player.

Meanwhile, Eddie Howe and co. are looking towards January as they draft up plans to sign a replacement for their £55 million summer signing.

Newcastle are assessing their options ahead of the January transfer window

Manchester City midfielder Kalvin Phillips is still the favourite after failing to grab himself a starting place under Pep Guardiola since his move last summer.

However, iNews have offered up a couple of alternatives that could be considerably less expensive.

One is Everton midfielder Amadou Onana. The Toffees are in a difficult spot, financially so could be in a difficult spot where they'd find it hard to turn down an approach, even if Onana is one of their star players.

The other option would be Tottenham's Eric Dier who is also being tracked by Jose Mourinho's Roma.

Dier's versatility could be a huge factor in Howe's decision

Dier is extremely versatile, able to play in central defence or as a midfielder and that could swing it for Eddie Howe as a short-term replacement for Tonali. He's yet to feature for Ange Postecoglou which suggests he could be on his way out of Spurs.

The 29-year-old was an England regular and has been described as 'underrated' by The Athletic in a deep dive into his game under Antonio Conte.

Newcastle still see Tonali as the future, but with a gap to fill in his absence, Dier would be the ideal short-term replacement.