Newcastle United have agreed their next signing of the summer.
The Toon have had a dramatic summer, losing manager Eddie Howe halfway through pre-season, while selling the likes of Anthony Gordon, Bruno Guimaraes and Sandro Tonali for big fees.
But it's veteran right-back Kieran Trippier who appears to have finally been replaced with Newcastle's latest move in the market, as new boss Matthias Jaissle will hope to get a key man in before the season starts.
Newcastle United agree deal for Amar Dedic
FourFourTwo's Joe Donnohue recently noted that he expected Newcastle to sign Amar Dedic, who made 52 appearances under Jaissle at Red Bull Salzburg.
“Given Newcastle's need to refresh their options at full-back after Kieran Trippier's exit and Tino Livramento's persistent injuries, Dedic could be an option given he already knows the manager's demands,” he wrote in a report.
Now, SportSport in Bosnia have reported that Dedic has “already agreed to the transfer”, with the Magpies just needing to agree terms with Benfica.
The report states that Newcastle want to pay no more than €30 million for the talent, and that, “There will be no problems in the agreement, because the Portuguese giant are ready to sell”.
Dedic moved to Lisbon last year following a short loan spell with Marseille, playing 43 times in all competitions before beginning this season with two appearances for the Eagles.
After the big-money sales of Guimaraes and Tonali, Newcastle have made a concerted effort to move to a model that sees them pick up young talent they can develop, rather than compete for the biggest names.
Last year, the Toon were linked with the likes of Hugo Ekitike, James Trafford, Benjamin Sesko and Joao Pedro, only to be beaten to the punch by so-called Big Six clubs for each.
This summer, however, has seen a change in approach, with 20-year-olds Bazoumana Toure, Ewen Jaoen and Aladji Bamba signing from Hoffenheim, Reims, and Monaco respectively, while teenager Sean Steur – still only 18 – is expected to plug the sizeable gap left by midfield departures.
Any deal for Dedic would take the Magpies spend up to around £170-180m.
The 23-year-old is worth €20m, as per Transfermarkt. Newcastle's Premier League season begins against Liverpool.
