Newcastle United have completed the signing of Bosnian international full-back Amar Dedić from Benfica. The 24-year-old has signed a five-year contract, takes shirt number 37, and rejoins head coach Matthias Jaissle, under whom he started his senior career in Austria.
Benfica put the value of the deal on the record on Tuesday morning, informing the Portuguese Securities Market Commission (CMVM) that the club had agreed the transfer of all rights to the defender for €35.9 million, a figure reported in British media at around £29.5 million. Newcastle confirmed the signing as its sixth senior addition of the summer in the official announcement at Newcastle United, while Benfica published its CMVM statement on slbenfica.pt.
Reunited with the coach who knew him first
Dedić played under Jaissle at both FC Liefering and Red Bull Salzburg in the early stages of his career, and the connection was a deciding factor in the move. “It’s a special feeling and a really big honour for me to join Newcastle United,” Dedić said in the club announcement. “Working with Matthias again was a big factor for me. We know each other well, he knows what I can bring on the pitch and I’m really happy to be playing for him again.”
Jaissle, who was named Newcastle head coach earlier this month after Eddie Howe’s exit, described the defender as athletic, aggressive and technically strong, adding: “He will bring both defensive and attacking qualities to our squad, which suits the style of football that we want to play.” Sporting director Ross Wilson said Dedić is “capable of performing on the right and on the left” and should strengthen the squad immediately.
From Salzburg to Lisbon to St James’ Park
Born in Zell am See, Austria, Dedić came through the youth ranks of LUV Graz and Sturm Graz before joining Red Bull Salzburg’s academy in 2015. He turned professional four years later, spent time with feeder side Liefering, and had a loan at Wolfsberger AC before returning to make 95 appearances for Salzburg in all competitions. A loan at Marseille during the 2024/25 campaign brought 10 Ligue 1 appearances before he joined Benfica permanently in July 2025.
Benfica’s official note records 43 matches and around 3,515 minutes for the defender in the 2025-26 season across six competitions, including 10 Champions League appearances and four in qualifying, plus 24 league games, with one goal and four assists. Newcastle supporters saw him in person at St James’ Park last October, when Benfica visited in the Champions League league phase.
A fee structure with several beneficiaries
The CMVM filing spells out the financial shape of the deal. Benfica will receive 17.94 per cent of the capital gain from any future sale of the player, and Red Bull Salzburg is entitled to 15 per cent of the capital gain once Benfica’s purchase price and the solidarity contribution are deducted. Newcastle retains the five per cent solidarity contribution for distribution to the clubs involved in Dedić’s development, and Benfica is entitled to an agency fee of 10 per cent of the transfer value.
At international level, Dedić has 31 caps for Bosnia and Herzegovina, three of them at this summer’s World Cup in North America. Bosnia reached the round of 32 before a 2-0 defeat to the United States, a result World Cup 2026 results at the time.
The arrival continues a reset at St James’ Park that began with the departure of captain Bruno Guimarães to Arsenal, which we covered in August, as Jaissle shapes a squad built around younger, high-energy profiles. Dedić is the sixth senior player through the door this summer, with the new Premier League season about to begin.
