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Amar Dedic’s move to Newcastle United has now effectively been confirmed by Benfica manager Marco Silva. The defender will not face Casa Pia on Monday and has already been removed from Benfica’s preparations. Silva also admits the Portuguese club “didn’t want to lose” the 23-year-old. Newcastle agreed a €35m (£30.3m) deal for Dedic over the weekend. Reports in Portugal stated documents had been exchanged and a five-year contract agreed with the player. British reports have since stated the transfer is now pretty much done, with Dedic already travelling ahead of his move. A Bola now reports on Silva’s comments ahead of Monday’s game, providing the clearest public acknowledgement from Benfica’s side that Dedic is leaving. Dedic already removed from Benfica preparations Amar Dedic had continued playing for Benfica while negotiations with Newcastle progressed. He started Thursday’s 1-1 draw at Hearts, where Newcastle representatives watched him from the stands. Things have now changed. “Regarding Dedic, I can tell you that he will be out of the game,” Silva said. The manager explained that Dedic had previously remained available because Benfica’s hierarchy hadn’t told him to remove the defender from his plans. “Without feedback from the structure, for me all the players count 100% for the games,” he explained. “They would be involved in the preparation and, therefore, I had no doubt that Dedic should start or be involved in the game.” That feedback has clearly now arrived. Dedic is no longer preparing for Casa Pia as his switch to Newcastle moves towards its formal conclusion. “We didn’t want to lose Dedic” Amar Dedic’s departure isn’t one Marco Silva particularly welcomes from a sporting perspective. The Benfica manager praised the Bosnia international’s performances last season and believes there is still plenty of room for development. “It’s obvious that he was a player that we, Benfica, didn’t want to lose,” Silva said. “The question of the offer and the financial aspect are things that Benfica’s structure knows better than I do how to manage. That’s not my role.” Those comments are significant given Benfica’s financial situation. The Lisbon club need to raise money from important assets this summer, and Dedic has ultimately become one of them. Silva accepts that reality, even if losing his starting right-back wasn’t part of his ideal plan. “Just as we want to sign players, there are also times when we lose players we didn’t want to lose. The market is open and that’s part of it,” he added. The important part for Newcastle is that Dedic has now been taken out of Benfica’s plans. After everything agreed over the weekend, his manager’s comments remove any remaining doubt about where this transfer is heading.