Newcastle United have unveiled Amar Dedic as their sixth major signing of the summer transfer window, with the Bosnia and Herzegovina international completing a £29.5m move from Benfica.
The 24-year-old will be reunited with head coach Matthias Jaissle, having worked with the Magpies head coach at RB Salzburg.
Five-year deal and debut plans
Dedic has signed a five-year deal at Newcastle and will go straight into the squad for Sunday's Premier League opener against Liverpool at St James' Park.
"It's a special feeling and a really big honour for me to join Newcastle United," Dedic said. "I'm really happy to be here and can't wait to start playing for the club and the amazing fans."
Reunion with Jaissle
"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."
"Playing Premier League football at St. James' Park is going to be really special. Every game feels like a big occasion, with an amazing atmosphere. I'm really excited to get started," he added.
Jaissle said: "I'm really happy to add Amar to our squad. He's a player who I know really well, having worked with him from a young age in Austria and followed his career since."
What Dedic brings
"He will bring both defensive and attacking qualities to our squad, which suits the style of football that we want to play. He's athletic, aggressive and technically very good, but also has a lot of potential to develop further," Jaissle added.
"Amar is still young but already has a lot of valuable experience - he's played in the Champions League and the World Cup, as well as representing huge clubs in Austria, France and Portugal. I'm really looking forward to working with him again."
Immediate impact expected
With Tino Livramento not expected to be ready to start against Liverpool, Dedic's arrival will give Jaissle a recognised right-back in his side this weekend.
Youngsters Mason Miley and Leo Shahar have both performed well in the role during pre-season, but it would be a big ask to expect them to step up against Andoni Iraola's side.
Livramento is back training on the grass after undergoing an operation on a calf injury which meant he had to pull out of England's World Cup squad before the tournament started in June.
United are hoping to continue their transfer spend this summer by securing another midfielder before the September 1 transfer deadline, with attacking options also being investigated.
