Fabrizio Romano has given an update on Newcastle United‘s pursuit of Benfica full-back Amar Dedic as the Magpies look to strengthen Matthias Jaissle’s squad.

Just nine days remain until the Magpies start the new Premier League season and do so under Jaissle following his appointment as Eddie Howe’s replacement. The German coach has arrived during a difficult time at St James’ Park amid the departures of Anthony Gordon, Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimaraes.

Kieran Trippier left at the end of last season following the expiration of his contract. Signing a versatile full-back to help address his exit has been one of the club’s main priorities, and they are edging closer to signing Dedic.

Newcastle Edging Closer To Dedic Deal

A deal for Dedic is moving into the final stages and he has agreed on a move to Tyneside. That’s according to Romano, who delved into the club’s pursuit of the Bosnian with a post on X:

A package worth €30 million (£25.6m) is on the cards, and if a deal is completed, Dedic will become Newcastle’s sixth summer signing and another young addition to a squad that is undergoing a rebuild.

The 23-year-old is a right-back by trade but can also operate as a left-back, which will be hugely beneficial given Tino Livramento’s injury struggles. Lewis Hall has been the subject of speculation amid interest from Manchester United, but the club made clear he’s not for sale.

Tottenham Hotspur boss Roberto De Zerbi is certainly a fan of Dedic, having coached him at Marseille. He spoke highly of the full-back back in February 2025:

Miralem Pjanic explained his playing style and Newcastle fans will be enthused: “His first touch, always directed forward, is an obsession for him. He constantly looks to create chances, take players on, overlap, or combine to get into the box.”

Stats courtesy of SofaScore – correct as of 14/08/2026

Jaissle will be keen to work with Dedic before the season gets underway, given he is starting to implement his ideas. That said, a deal doesn’t seem likely to occur before the final pre-season friendly against Strasbourg on Sunday.

Much to Like About Newcastle’s Business

REUTERS/Ibraheem Al Omari via Action Images

Newcastle may have lost three star men, but their transfer business has slightly gone under the radar. Czech goalkeeper Lukas Hornicek has been excellent in Liga Portugal for Braga in recent seasons and could be a worthy Nick Pope replacement for £25.7m, especially when their former target James Trafford cost Leeds United £40m.

Ivorian winger Bazoumana Toure is an exciting addition to Jaissle’s squad and while still raw he has bags of potential at just 20. Young midfield duo Aladji Bamba and Sean Steur have also arrived and could be long-term heirs to Tonali and Guimaraes further down the line.

via Reuters

That’s not to say that the Magpies don’t need proven names to help address those who have been sold. A new midfielder is still on the agenda, and the latest name linked to Brighton & Hove Albion is Carlos Baleba.

Newcastle transfer targets

It’s thought that the Tyneside outfit are considering a move for the Cameroonian who has long been wanted at Old Trafford. They have also been eyeing Bayern Munich’s Joao Palhinha, although Aston Villa are also chasing the former Premier League midfielder.

West Ham United are moving on to their next target quickly after completing a deal for Celtic midfielder Arne Engels.

The Belgian is undergoing a medical to put the final touches on a £22 million move to the London Stadium. He had been on Nuno Espirito Santo’s wishlist throughout the summer and is set to become the club’s fourth signing ahead of their first season back in the EFL Championship since 2011-12.

Relegation has led the higher-ups to back Santo and strengthen his squad, which is arguably one of the strongest in Championship history. Jarrod Bowen has decided to stay, and he could soon be joined by a new attacking teammate if the East Londoners get their way.

West Ham Turn Attention To Troy Parrott

West Ham have been eyeing AZ Alkmaar frontman Troy Parrott and failed with an opening offer for the Irishman a week ago. They are set to make a new bid, and optimism is growing about bringing the former Tottenham Hotspur star back to English football.

Club insider ExWHUEmployee on X has given an update on the pursuit of Parrott, claiming, as relayed by WestHam_Central:

Parrott has become one of the most highly-rated strikers in the Eredivisie since joining AZ from Spurs back in the summer of 2024 for around £6.7 million. The ‘top-tier’ attacker impressed last season, and his exploits in the Netherlands haven’t gone unnoticed by Santo and his transfer chiefs.

With the Irons expected to make a new bid, there’s a good chance they will meet the Dutch outfit’s asking price rather than letting a pursuit drag on. If signed, he could be competing with Valentín Castellanos for a starting berth.

Santo seems keen to give Parrott another chance in England after the Irish forward struggled for game time at Spurs. Their former midfielder Rafael van der Vaart felt the North Londoners made a mistake selling him when speaking back in October 2024:

Parrott has picked up silverware during his time at AZ, winning the Dutch Cup and Dutch Super Cup. If a transfer takes place, like Engels, he’s another player from a foreign league who could prove crucial in the club’s bid to return to the Premier League at the first attempt.

What Parrott’s Arrival Will Mean For West Ham Strikers

REUTERS/Tony O Brien

There might not be a more impressive pool of centre-forwards to have played for a Championship club if Parrott is added to Santo’s squad. He’ll be looking to become the starting number nine at the expense of Castellanos, who is set to stay and play in the second tier of English football.

Castellanos only joined the Hammers from Lazio in January for £25.2 million, and the Argentine has performed well thus far. At 27, he’s experienced and certainly knows where the goal is, having managed nine goals in 23 games, including a brace in a 3-1 win over Portsmouth in the Carabao Cup last Saturday.

West Ham transfer targets

​​​​​​With Parrott looking likely to join him at the London Stadium, he’ll be battling for regular minutes but Championship football often requires rotation. There is still uncertainty over Niclas Fullkrug’s future as the veteran German struggles to find a new club amid a disastrous spell.

Should Fullkrug stay, he’s another high-profile name who’d be an option and could even look to get his career back on track. It’s plenty of firepower for Santo to guide his troops straight back to the top flight.

Manchester United started the transfer window quickly, bringing in Andrey Santos, Karl Darlow, and Youri Tielemans within a week of each other, as they looked to rebuild their squad.

The club finished third in the Premier League last season, meaning they’ll return to the Champions League for the first time since 2023, when they were eliminated from the group stages under Erik Ten Hag’s watch.

But since then, the transfer window has slowed right down at Old Trafford, and other than young winger Tynan Thompson, there have been no more arrivals so far, with the Premier League campaign set to begin next week.

Reports all summer have suggested that Man Utd are keen to bring in a new forward, third central midfielder, and a left-back, but despite numerous reports and links, nothing has materialised.

Now, while speaking to the media while in Dublin, Carrick has sent a strong message to INEOS over what he wants in the final weeks of the window.

“Listen, there’s one or two areas where we’d like to improve, and we feel that there’s the possibility to improve, but again, that needs to be something that we can do that makes us better and improves the group, whether that’s quality or whether that’s a little bit of depth. That’s something we’ve got to manage. That’s pretty obvious.

“We always want to strengthen in every way. It depends on if it’s going to help us, and in what ways. It can’t be for the sake of it, but of course we need to improve. It’s something that we’re working towards, for sure.”

Baleba and Hall Deals Must Be Done

via Reuters

It’s well established now that Lewis Hall is the top target of Man Utd for the left-back position, but so far it has been difficult for the club to find an agreement with Newcastle after they had already sold Anthony Gordon, Sandro Tonali, and Bruno Guimaraes.

The player himself is understood to want to join Man Utd, and it has been reported over the summer that a fee of around £70m would likely be enough to get a deal done. It’s unclear if the club would be willing to pay that much, but if INEOS really want Carrick to succeed, then it’s clear they should be doing everything they can to get it done.

Alongside him, club staff are reported to believe that Carlos Baleba would be a ‘transformative’ signing for their midfield, yet despite reports that he is available for around £65m this summer, as opposed to the £100m asking price last summer, they are still yet to make a move.

With midfield quite obviously a priority, not making a big move for someone who you consider to be a top player seems backwards.

Carrick has made it abundantly clear that he needs more if he is to find success again, and if INEOS don’t give him what he needs, then they will only have themselves to blame.