Newcastle Accelerate Move for Benfica Defender Amar Dedić

Newcastle are accelerating their move for Benfica defender Amar Dedić, racing the clock to have the deal done before Liverpool arrive at St James’ Park next Sunday.

A fee has been agreed in principle, with the overall package understood to be worth up to £30 million for the 23-year-old, according to TeamTalk. The heavy lifting is done: personal terms on a five-year contract are already nailed down with the Bosnia and Herzegovina international. What’s left now are the finer details between the clubs and the medical, which Newcastle are pushing to complete this weekend.

The urgency is real. Tino Livramento is still short of full fitness heading into the new campaign, leaving Newcastle light in a key area just as the season kicks off. That has sharpened the focus on Dedić and turned this from a routine negotiation into a race against time.

Newcastle want him registered, in training, and up to speed with the first-team squad before Liverpool roll into town. The hierarchy see him not as a slow-burn project, but as someone who can walk straight into the matchday squad for their opening Premier League fixture.

His profile explains why they are so intent on getting it over the line. Dedić is primarily a right-back, but he can slot in on the left and has experience at centre-back as well. That kind of flexibility is gold for a coach trying to navigate injuries, suspensions, and the tactical demands of a long season.

It also suits Matthias Jaissle perfectly. The Newcastle head coach knows exactly what he is getting. He worked closely with Dedić during their time together at RB Salzburg and Liefering in Austria, where the defender developed under his watch. This is not a gamble on potential; it is a manager backing a player he already trusts.

Jaissle is fully behind the move and believes Dedić can make an immediate impact as he reshapes the squad. For Newcastle, the transfer ticks multiple boxes: tactical versatility, familiarity with the coach, and a player entering his prime years.

Executives from both clubs are now working through the last pieces of the agreement. Inside St James’ Park, confidence is growing that the deal will be completed in time.

If the paperwork and medical fall into place as planned, Dedić’s first assignment in black and white could be a baptism of fire: Liverpool at home, under the lights, with a new era under Jaissle taking shape in real time.