Newcastle United have officially confirmed the signing of Bosnian international full-back Amar Dedić from Portuguese giants Benfica, in a deal worth around £29.5m (€35m) on a five-year contract running until 2031. It's the club's sixth signing of the summer window — and, notably, a deal built almost entirely on trust between a player and a manager who've worked together before.
The Deal Breakdown
- Player: Amar Dedić, Bosnian international right-back
- From: SL Benfica (Portugal)
- Fee: Approximately £29.5m (€35m), with Benfica retaining a sell-on percentage
- Contract: Five years, until June 2031
- Squad Number: 37
Dedić flew into Newcastle, completed his medical, and put pen to paper on the deal in time to be registered ahead of the club's Premier League opener against Liverpool.
Not Eddie Howe — This Deal Runs Through Matthias Jaissle
Here's the detail that actually explains why this transfer happened: Newcastle's head coach this season is Matthias Jaissle, the German manager who previously led Red Bull Salzburg to back-to-back Austrian titles before moving to Saudi side Al-Ahli — and it was at Salzburg where he first worked with Dedić, who made 52 appearances under him and developed into an important first-team player.
That relationship is the real story here. Sporting director Ross Wilson described Dedić as an elite modern full-back capable of providing top-level competition across the defensive line, but multiple reports make clear the deal was accelerated specifically because of Jaissle's personal endorsement and prior knowledge of the player. When asked directly about the imminent transfer before it was confirmed, Jaissle stayed characteristically tight-lipped in public — "I think it's not the right time to talk about positions and names, so I don't step into rumours" — while privately having already given the move his full backing.
Dedić's Path to Newcastle
Dedić's career has moved quickly. He started out at Red Bull Salzburg's academy, was loaned to Wolfsberger AC and later to Marseille, before signing permanently with Benfica in 2025 for a reported €12m fee. Benfica had reportedly valued him at around €35m — despite the player carrying a €50m release clause in his contract — meaning this Newcastle deal represents a substantial profit for the Portuguese club within just a year of signing him themselves.
Primarily a right-back, Dedić's versatility was a major factor in Newcastle's interest — he's equally capable on the left side of defence and has experience playing centre-back, giving Jaissle a genuinely flexible option across the backline rather than a like-for-like replacement for any one specific player.
What It Means for Newcastle's Defence
This signing arrives as part of a broader defensive rebuild under Jaissle's new regime, with the club prioritising younger players seen as long-term assets rather than short-term fixes. At the time of the move, Dedić was already viewed as having significant European experience for his age while still carrying real room to develop further — exactly the kind of profile Newcastle have been targeting across this window.
The move also comes against the backdrop of a genuinely hectic Newcastle transfer window, with the club simultaneously chasing a marquee forward signing (Nick Woltemade from Stuttgart) amid ongoing uncertainty over Alexander Isak's future, following interest from Liverpool. Dedić's arrival, while less headline-grabbing than that saga, quietly strengthens a different area of the pitch entirely.
What's Next
With his medical and paperwork now complete, the question turns to whether Dedić features immediately against Liverpool in Newcastle's Premier League opener, or whether Jaissle eases him in gradually given the compressed turnaround. Either way, Newcastle now have a defender their own head coach knows intimately — arguably as valuable as the transfer fee itself.
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