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Newcastle United have just received some encouragement in their chase for Amar Dedic, as the defender seems keen on a move to England. The Magpies’ interest and Benfica’s €35m (£30.3m) asking price were already known. Wednesday’s edition of A Bola now brings details from the player’s side and Newcastle’s connections with him. There has still been no formal offer. Contacts have taken place, however, and Dedic is said to view a Newcastle switch positively. Newcastle United have another important Dedic connection Amar Dedic already knows Newcastle manager Matthias Jaissle very well from their time together in Austria. A Bola explains that Jaissle played an important role in the defender’s development at Liefering and Red Bull Salzburg. He isn’t Newcastle’s only useful connection to the 23-year-old, though. Assistant coach Florens Koch also has a close relationship with Dedic. He worked specifically on the Bosnia international’s individual development at Liefering and later Salzburg. Both Jaissle and Koch have continued to follow his career since then. That included last season, when Dedic established himself as a Benfica regular and impressed in the Champions League. Those relationships give Newcastle United two obvious allies should they decide to turn their interest into an official bid. Player attracted by Newcastle opportunity Amar Dedic has also received enquiries from elsewhere, including from an unnamed German club. A Bola says none of those approaches have been as concrete as Newcastle’s. More importantly for the Magpies, the defender is attracted by the possibility of taking the next step in his career. Playing in England appeals to him. There is a financial element working in Newcastle’s favour as well. The Portuguese newspaper points out Benfica would be unable to match the salary the Premier League club could offer Dedic. That doesn’t change Benfica’s position on the transfer fee. They still want at least €35m (£30.3m) before allowing a deal to progress. Newcastle already know that figure, so there is little mystery left about what would be required from them. A Bola believes the coming days could now be decisive. With Dedic receptive to the move, the next significant step would have to come from Newcastle in the form of an official proposal.