Newcastle Racing to Sign Benfica Defender Amar Dedić
Newcastle are racing the clock to land Benfica defender Amar Dedić in time for the start of the Premier League season, with a deal worth up to £30 million close to the finish line.
According to TeamTalk, the clubs have an agreement in principle on the overall package for the 23-year-old Bosnia and Herzegovina international. The heavy lifting is done. What’s left now are the small but decisive details that turn a verbal understanding into a completed transfer.
Personal terms are already locked in. Dedić has agreed a five-year contract with Newcastle, and the club want him on Tyneside this weekend to undergo his medical. The plan is clear: get everything signed off, get him registered, and get him on the pitch as quickly as possible.
The urgency is no accident. Tino Livramento is struggling with fitness issues and is not yet fully up to speed for the new campaign. That has sharpened Newcastle’s focus and pushed Dedić from a smart opportunity into a near-essential signing.
Upcoming Match
Newcastle open their Premier League season at home to Liverpool next Sunday. Inside the club, there is a strong desire to have Dedić available for that game, not just as cover, but as a genuine option for the starting XI. The hierarchy want him integrated into the first-team group immediately, learning the patterns, the demands, the pace.
His appeal goes beyond plugging a short-term gap. Dedić brings rare versatility across the back line. He is primarily a right-back, but he can slot in on the left and has experience operating as a centre-back when required. For a squad chasing consistency in a long, gruelling season, that kind of flexibility is gold.
It also hands head coach Matthias Jaissle a familiar weapon. Jaissle knows exactly what he is getting. The pair worked closely together at RB Salzburg and Liefering in Austria, where Dedić developed under the German’s watch. That shared history matters; Jaissle trusts him, trusts his mentality, and trusts his ability to adapt quickly to a new league.
Inside the club, there is no ambiguity about the manager’s stance. Jaissle is fully behind the move and believes Dedić can make an immediate impact as he looks to deepen and harden Newcastle’s defensive options.
Executives from both clubs are now grinding through the final clauses of what is described as an intricate agreement. Add-ons, structure of payments, registration timing – the usual late-stage hurdles. Newcastle, though, are increasingly confident they will get it over the line.
If the paperwork falls into place and the medical throws up no surprises, Dedić should be registered in time and ready for one of the most unforgiving introductions English football can offer: Liverpool at St James’ Park, with a new season and new expectations hanging in the air.
