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Newcastle United have now been told exactly how much it will take to sign Amar Dedic from Benfica this summer. The Magpies’ interest in the right-back had already been reported in England. Now Wednesday’s print edition of O Jogo brings the story forward from Portugal, with details of the first approach and Benfica’s response. Newcastle contacted the Lisbon club to establish the conditions for a possible deal. They were given a clear answer: €35m (£30.3m) is the minimum required to start negotiations. Benfica willing to negotiate below release clause Amar Dedic has a €50m (£43.3m) release clause in his Benfica contract, so the Portuguese club are prepared to do business considerably below that figure. O Jogo says president Rui Costa will not even sit down to discuss an offer below €35m (£30.3m). Once Newcastle reach that level, though, Benfica are willing to open the door to a departure. That gives the Magpies a pretty clear target if they decide to move beyond their initial approach. Dedic only arrived at Benfica last season, when they paid €12m (£10.4m) to sign him. A deal at the Portuguese club’s asking price would therefore represent a substantial return on that investment. Also, Benfica are dealing with financial difficulties and need to raise money through the sale of some important assets this summer. Dedic could end up being one of those sacrificed, which may help explain their willingness to negotiate well below his release clause. Another detail higlighted by the Portuguese newspaper is there’s some flexibility within Marco Silva’s squad. Alexander Bah can play at right-back, while youngster Daniel Banjaqui has also started to make his way into the picture. Dedic remains Silva’s preferred option for the starting XI. Bah is currently ahead of him after the Bosnia international returned late to training following the World Cup. Jaissle knows exactly what Dedic offers Amar Dedic’s connection with Newcastle manager Matthias Jaissle is another important part of this story. Jaissle worked with the 23-year-old at Red Bull Salzburg, where Dedic developed before eventually moving to Portugal. According to O Jogo, it was the Newcastle manager who placed his former player on the club’s list of targets. | Portugal Liga 2025/26 | | | | | |---|---|---|---|---| | Appearances | 24 | | | | | Started | 21 | | | | | Minutes per game | 80 | | | | | Total minutes played | 1911 | | | | | Goals | 1 | | | | | Assists | 4 | | | | Jaissle particularly values Dedic’s ability to make a difference when his team transitions into attack. That prior knowledge removes some of the uncertainty which usually comes with spending heavily on a player from abroad. Newcastle’s interest therefore has a clear explanation behind it, and now there is also a clear price. The next decision belongs to the Magpies. Benfica have effectively drawn a line at €35m (£30.3m), despite the higher release clause, and are prepared to negotiate if Newcastle reach it.