Newcastle close in on Amar Dedic as Trippier replacement with Liverpool opener looming
Newcastle United are in advanced talks with Benfica to sign right-back Amar Dedic for around £30m, a move that could land the Bosnian defender on Tyneside in time for the season opener against Liverpool on 23 August.
The need is clear and pressing. Kieran Trippier, Newcastle's experienced right-back, joined Wolves on a free transfer after his contract expired. Tino Livramento, the other option in that position, is still recovering from a calf injury sustained on England duty in June. That leaves Eddie Howe short on the right side of defence with the Premier League campaign days away.
According to the BBC, discussions are progressing, with the fee being the main sticking point. Benfica are holding out for roughly €35m (£30.4m), while reports from Sky Sport — cited by Newcastle World — suggest Newcastle's offer tops out at €30m, with talks starting as low as €25m Newcastle World. The same Sky Sport report claims Dedic has already agreed personal terms on a contract running until 2031, which Yahoo and FourFourTwo have also echoed FourFourTwo.
So who is Amar Dedic? A 23-year-old Bosnia and Herzegovina international, capped 31 times, who started three of his country's four matches at the World Cup. He broke through at RB Salzburg, where he was a regular in the side that retained the Austrian Bundesliga title in 2023, before moving to Benfica.
What makes him attractive to Newcastle is his willingness to carry the ball forward — a full-back who gets his team up the pitch, not just a defender who clears his lines. Last season in Portugal's Primeira Liga, Dedic ranked second among all full-backs for carries into the attacking third (49) and third for both progressive carries (202) and total carries (325). In plain terms: he runs with the ball into dangerous areas a lot, and he does it better than almost anyone in his position in the league.
For Newcastle fans, the appeal is straightforward. A right-back who can defend, push high, and arrive in the final third fits Howe's system, which asks its full-backs to be as much a part of the attack as the back line. With Trippier gone and Livramento not yet fit, Dedic could walk straight into the starting eleven at Anfield if the paperwork clears in time.
That "if" still matters. Transfer fees are where deals stall, and Benfica are tough negotiators. But with personal terms reportedly settled and both clubs in active dialogue, the gap between €30m and €35m feels bridgeable. Newcastle have just over a week to get it done.
