Newcastle United are now said to be closing in on a deal for a new right-back in the form of Amar Dedic. The Magpies are have had a tricky summer that has ultimately led Eddie Howe to leave the club, with Matthias Jaissle now at the helm.

But there is real concern over how Newcastle will perform this season following the departures of Sandro Tonali, Mateus Fernandes and Anthony Gordon. Bazoumana Traore, Aladji Bamba, Lukas Hornicek, Sean Steur and Ewen Jaouen have all been signed, but there is no getting around the quality of players that have left the club.

But Newcastle’s business has not concluded, and Jaissle will now be getting a better idea of what he needs.

Newcastle closing in on Amar Dedic transfer

REUTERS/Ibraheem Al Omari via Action Images

According to transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, Newcastle are closing on on a deal for Dedic as they look to add a right-back to their ranks. Romano posted on X: “Newcastle are set to close Amar Dedić deal with Benfica soon as final round of talks has been scheduled. New fullback coming soon for Jaissle, as revealed all agreed on player side. Up next for #NUFC: midfielder too.”

Jaissle lacks depth on the right side, with Tino Livramento the starter and the young Leo Shahar the only back-up. More competition is required, and Dedic now looks set to add it. Dedic is only 23 years of age himself, but he has more senior experience that Shahar, already a 31-time Bosnia and Herzegovina international, while he made 43 appearances across all competitions last season alone.

Dedic played a key role under José Mourinho last season, with Benfica going unbeaten, and he played a big role in a good Champions League run that saw Benfica reach to the knockouts by beating Real Madrid in their last game, and that was despite them losing their ifrst four league phase games.

Decic’s 2025/26 league performances

• Appearances: 24
• Tackles: 1.5 per game
• Interceptions: 0.7 per game
• Clearances: 1.5 per game
• Key passes: 0.6 per game
• Assists: 4

Dedic a player who plays with ‘intensity’

via Reuters

Mourinho saw Dedic as a vital part of his starting XI last season. He once said: “His intensity, his irreverence, the way he attacks defences, the way he imposes a more aggressive rhythm on the team are important.”

Meanwhile, at Newcastle, Jaissle is acutely aware of the shortcomings he has within his squad. He said after a pre-season defeat to Everton this week: “You all see the matches. You are also smart enough to see the needs in the squad.

“I will be always consistent with my approach. We handle these things internally. We are aware of what we need. Let’s see now. There is still some time.”

Every now and then, a footballer comes along who clearly sees the world a little differently from most. Sometimes this helps produce a true great, as seen with iconic stars of the past like Diego Maradona or Paul Gascoigne.

Those two mavericks were brilliant on the pitch but also made plenty of headlines away from the sport with their idiosyncratic personalities. Although he has had a respectable career, picking up 13 England caps, Andros Townsend can’t quite claim to be on that level.

However, when it comes to standing out with a unique take on life, he’s beginning to carve out quite the reputation for himself. From staring into the sun to making his own toothpaste, he’s why he has many bizarre habits.

Why Andros Townsend Stares at the Sun

Townsend has gone viral for a number of different social media posts of late, and one of his most eye-catching clips saw him share footage of his two children staring into the sun. In a post called ‘our daily non-negotiables,’ the former Tottenham and Crystal Palace star explained why:

Following the August solar Eclipse, he then posted a follow-up calling out those who had labelled him ‘weird’ for his sun obsession. He said: “We’ll stop what we’re doing, plan our day around it and put special glasses on to watch the sun disappear for a few minutes because it’s rare.

“Yet that same sun rises every single morning and sets every single evening, painting the sky differently every time and, with sensible exposure, can offer real health benefits… and most people barely look up. Why does something have to be rare before we truly appreciate it?”

Andros Townsend’s Homemade Toothpaste Explained

Now 35, Townsend is still playing football but has been on an interesting career path since leaving England in 2024 after Luton Town were relegated from the Premier League. He signed for Turkish club Antalyaspor shortly afterwards but ended up in Thailand one year later, joining newly-promoted club Kanchanaburi Power. Just 12 months on, he moved to Thai League 1 rivals PT Prachuap.

Amid all that, his unique rituals have only flourished further. One recent development has been his refusal to buy store-brand toothpaste, instead opting to make his own. Once again, the former England star came equipped with an explanation on social media:

“Around 18 months ago, I was in constant pain with my wisdom teeth and was told they needed to come out. But wisdom teeth contain dental pulp, which can be a source of stem cells that are being studied for their potential in regenerative medicine, so I wanted to explore every option before having mine removed. That sent me down a rabbit hole of researching oral health and what we’re unknowingly putting in our mouths every single day.”

Townsend Also Has Unique Eating Habits

Townsend has long made headlines over his eating habits as well. Back in 2023, he claimed that eating ‘steamed chicken feet for dinner every night’ has helped him stay in shape. He explained:

He’s also a staunch believer in eating as many eggs as possible, as they ‘provide high-quality protein, all 9 essential amino acids, choline, vitamin B12, selenium, and vitamins A, D and E.’ An example of one past meal included six hard-boiled eggs, six cans of sardines and a steak with a bone broth.

Former Newcastle United winger Townsend has even shared videos of his family eating boiled eggs on public transport, sparking outrage due to the pungent smell the food is known to emit. In response to that criticism, he claimed there are double standards of food etiquette, asking why other foods, like cheese and onion crisps, and heavy perfumes are accepted in public spaces like airports, so why not eggs?

He also turned heads when he shared footage of himself at the 2026 World Cup eating raw beef while covering the tournament for ITV as a commentator. He once again defended his food choice, noting: “Take that same piece of beef, slice it paper-thin, add olive oil, Parmesan and rocket, serve it in an expensive restaurant, and suddenly it’s sophisticated. At least I know exactly where my steak came from. Grass-fed. Grass-finished. No antibiotics. Can you say the same about the steak being served in every restaurant?”

Townsend certainly has strong beliefs when it comes to looking after his body. It’s fair to say, though, his tastes won’t be everybody’s cup of tea (or bone broth).

For the Premier League and English football, tthe Community Shield has long been the traditional curtain raiser for the new season. This year’s edition sees Manchester City and Arsenal go head-to-head, providing a rematch of last season’s FA Cup final, which the former won.

The fixture pits the winners of the league title against the FA Cup winners in a special one-off game ahead of the start of the league campaign, typically held at Wembley Stadium. Other countries follow a similar format, although some have expanded it. Spain and Italy, for example, have four-team competitions featuring the league and cup runners-up as well.

Ahead of the 2026 clash, which will offer a first litmus test for telling who could be in contention for more major honours later in the campaign, GIVEMESPORT has you covered with all the key changes surrounding the location and the reasons behind them.

Action Images via Reuters / John Sibley

The big change is the location for 2026. Wembley has housed the tie since 2007 but, for this year’s game, the move is due to a simple double booking issue.

With the football calendar undergoing alterations, as usual, the beginning of the season is on the weekend of Saturday, August 22, to ensure ample recovery time after the World Cup.

With Wembley booked up, it leaves the FA requiring another top-tier stadium to house the first competitive game of the season. A neutral venue is required and there are plenty of options that could be selected.

Enter the Prinicipality Stadium in Wales. The 74,000 capacity stadium is historically a neutral stage for two English clubs and previously held the final six between 2001 and 2006 whilst Wembley was under construction and will be a perfect venue for City and Arsenal to lock horns.

Why is the Game Not Being Played at Wembley?

Having confirmed that the national stadium is unavailable on Saturday, August 15 and 16 due to pre-planned concerts, the FA’s hands were tied even before the football schedule was finalised.

Due to timing, it made the clash unavoidable and with the game traditionally played a week before the first weekend of the Premier League season, the necessary reservations had to be made. Canadian singer and songwriter ‘The Weeknd’ is playing a run of dates at Wembley from August 14 through August 19.

The last time the Community Shield was held away from Wembley was in 2022, when it took place at Leicester City’s King Power Stadium. Prior to that, it was held at Villa Park in 2012. Man City featured in both games, beating Chelsea in 2012 before losing to Liverpool in 2022.

The last time the Shield was played at the Principality Stadium was 2006, when Wembley was still being built as Rafael Benitez‘s Liverpool edged out José Mourinho‘s Chelsea. This year marks a 20-year return to the ground, offering fans a welcome change of scenery.

Arsenal Can Begin Title Defence With Confidence Boost vs Man City

While many football fans will disregard the Community Shield as nothing more than a glorified pre-season friendly, Mikel Arteta and Enzo Maresca will surely feel that it hold some importance in terms of morale boost and final preparations for the Premier League campaign.

Arteta and co, in particular, will be hoping to gain a psychological edge over their opponents, especially as most pundits – including club legend Alan Smith – believe the Cityzens will be the Gunners’ nearest title challengers yet again.

The Spaniard has been known not to leave any stone unturned in the pursuit of silverware, so will likely still field a strong lineup on Sunday afternoon, with a travelling Emirates Stadium faithful taking up most of the Millennium Stadium’s allocation for the occasion.