Connect with us

Sports

Newcastle working on deal for Benfica full-back Amar Dedic

Published

on

Newcastle United are working on a deal for Benfica full-back Amar Dedic.

The 23-year-old has a release clause of €50million (£42.7m, $57.7m), but there is an expectation that a fee of substantially less could be agreed upon. The Portuguese club are aiming for a figure in the region of €35m, according to Benfica sources, speaking anonymously as they weren’t authorised to do so publicly.

Matthias Jaissle is hoping to tie up his first signing since officially taking charge earlier this month and the German is keen to be reunited with a right-back he previously coached at FC Liefering and Red Bull Salzburg in Austria.

Dedic, 23, is able to play down both defensive flanks, which is attractive to Newcastle given their lack of full-back options, while the Bosnia and Herzegovina international already knows what Jaissle expects and is an ideal stylistic fit.

With Tino Livramento still working his way back from a minor calf operation he underwent in June, Jaissle has no senior right-backs available. Even Lewis Miley, who covered there last season, is only just returning to fitness following a broken leg.

Should Newcastle agree a fee with Benfica and then finalise a move for Dedic, he is in line to come straight into the side for the Premier League opener against Liverpool on Sunday, August 23. Livramento is unlikely to be fit until the end of the month.

Dedic would become Newcastle’s sixth summer signing and only their second over the age of 20. Goalkeepers Ewen Jaouen and Lukas Hornicek, midfielders Aladji Bamba and Sean Steur, plus winger Bazoumana Toure have already joined.


A signing for a glaring need

Analysis from Newcastle United correspondent Chris Waugh

There is genuine excitement within Newcastle about Jaissle and what he can achieve on Tyneside in the medium-to-long run, but in the immediate term he desperately requires reinforcements.

Jaissle inherited a squad which Eddie Howe, his predecessor, felt was short of experience and quality in key areas. Nowhere is that more glaring than at full-back, with Kieran Trippier, Emil Krafth and Matt Targett having departed, yet wide defensive arrivals have yet to take place.

Dedic’s lack of exposure to Europe’s top-five leagues, despite a short loan spell at Marseille last year, is a concern, but his attacking mindset and his understanding of Jaissle’s demands mean he has a decent chance of settling in quickly.

The Austrian-born defender had a difficult evening at St James’ Park as a visiting player for Benfica in the Champions League last season, when Anthony Gordon repeatedly got in behind during a 3-0 Newcastle victory, but the hope is that he will develop further back under Jaissle’s tutelage.

Concluding the signing of Dedic would be a positive step for Newcastle, though further additions, especially in midfield, are also required.

>

Continue Reading

Sports

The Hundred 2026: How would other cross-gender competitions look?

Published

on

Despite Manchester City’s Women’s Super League win, it’s Arsenal who would come out on top in a combined 2025-26 Premier League and WSL table.

The Gunners get over the line by three points thanks to their seven-point advantage over Man City at the end of the Premier League season.

A formidable strikeforce of Erling Haaland and Khadija Shaw is a scary thought though – the pair netted a combined total of 48 league goals last season.

Despite a 10th-placed finish in the Premier League, Chelsea are fourth thanks to finishing third in the WSL.

West Ham are bottom of the clubs that competed in both competitions, amassing a total of 58 points.

>

Continue Reading

Sports

Today on Sky Sports Racing: Precise faces More Thunder and Zeus Olympios in Prix Jacques le Marois | Racing News

Published

on

Precise, More Thunder and Zeus Olympios line up for the 2026 Prix Jacques Le Marois, live on Sky Sports Racing.

2.50 Deauville – Precise takes on More Thunder and Zeus Olympios in Prix Jacques le Marois

Star filly Precise takes on More Thunder and Zeus Olympios in a very competitive renewal of the The Aga Khan Studs Prix Jacques le Marois.

Four-time Group 1 winner Precise has built herself a very nice profile, having backed up a pair of Group 1 wins at two with victories in the Irish 1000 Guineas and Coronation Stakes. She has since been beaten twice since stepping into open company, being downed by the Juddmonte-owned Blue Bolt on both occasions. The fillies’ allowance could prove crucial here and with Ryan Moore on board, she is in the right hands.

More Thunder will look to reverse the form with Zeus Olympios, with the latter much the best when last seen in Ascot’s Summer Mile. Karl Burke’s charge got the run of the race that day, scooting clean under Sam James. William Haggas’ representative was second in Group 1 company twice prior and, like Zeus Olympios, will look to take top honours for the first time today.

Thesecretadversary is a recent Group 1 scorer in the Prix Jean Prat, which followed a win at the Royal meeting in the Jersey Stakes. He was originally targeted towards the City Of York Stakes but has since been rerouted after Bow Echo and Gstaad were retired and ruled out respectively.

Rayif looks the best of the French contenders but will have to bounce back after disappointing when sent off a 6/4 favourite in the Prix Jean Prat. The step back up to a mile could prove crucial for Mickael Barzalona’s mount, who tasted success over the mile in the French 2000 Guineas earlier this season.

1.33 Deauville – Exciting Avec Toi faces Silver Dominion in Group 3 company

The much talked about Avec Toi faces just four runners in this Group 3 The Aga Khan Studs Prix Francois Boutin.

Christopher Head has said the target this season for this son of No Nay Never is the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere on Arc weekend and he looks to be a special talent from his outings thus far. He arrives here with two wins from as many starts, with a debut win at Saint-Cloud followed up by a sparkling showing over this course and distance the last day.

In opposition, Silver Dominion brings stakes form to the table. Oliver Cole’s runner finished second in the Pat Eddery Stakes last time after a fourth-place finish in the Superlative Stakes on July Cup day and could give the favourite a real run for his money.

Godolphin’s Jassas looked promising when winning on debut at Doncaster – a result which has seen the form boosted this week with runner-up Narrjoo winning at Ffos Las on Wednesday. Zakkan cannot be discounted for the formidable Graffard and Barzalona combination despite being winless in three, whilst Cut A Dash completes the quintet and looks to have plenty to find on the rest of the field.

2.35 Southwell – 750,000gns Godolphin yearling Palladas returns

Expensive yearling Palladas returns to the track for the LNAA Critical Care Novice Stakes after being absent since beating Al Azd at Kempton in January.

The form from this maiden victory has produced seven individual winners – most notably Al Azd, who is now rated 109. Roger Varian’s Shadwell gelding was sixth in the London Gold Cup and second in the King George V Stakes before hosing up at Ascot in a class 2 handicap. That form line would suggest a lofty ceiling for Charlie Appleby’s runner today, who will be partnered by the title-chasing Billy Loughnane.

Theory Of Tides’ half-brother Mercantile debuts for Daniel and Clare Kubler and is of interest first time out, but this should really be a one-horse race.

Best of the rest

Back at Deauville, Listed winner Romantic Symphony goes in search of Group 3 honours in the The Aga Khan Studs Prix Lady O’Reilly. She will be rivalled by Calandagan’s half-sister Calasita, who holds an entry in the Champions Fillies And Mares Stakes and was only half a length behind Romantic Symphony last time. Dispatches drops down into Group 3 company under Colin Keane, whilst Hatanka Fal has been there or thereabouts at Listed level but must improve to go close today.

At Southwell, Astrological looks to carry a 6lb penalty to success in the Newark Advertiser Handicap (1.30pm) before Valvano and Legal Reform clash in the Coopers Marquees Handicap at 3.40pm.

>

Continue Reading

Sports

BBC Sport quiz: Who am I? Guess Premier League footballer No 27

Published

on

Welcome to our Who am I? game.

The rules are simple. Each day there’s a new footballer and the challenge is to guess who they are in as few attempts as possible.

After each wrong guess you unlock a new clue. The fewer clues you need to get the right answer, the more points you score.

Three is a good score, four or five points is exceptional.

So take part and return for more tomorrow.

Today’s player and clues set by BBC Sport’s Flora Snelson.

After more quizzes? Go to our dedicated Football Quizzes and Sports Quizzes pages and sign up for notifications to get the latest quizzes sent straight to your device.

>

Continue Reading

Trending

Copyright © 2017 Zox News Theme. Theme by MVP Themes, powered by WordPress.