Amara Dedich has made an impressive start to life at Newcastle following his £30 million transfer from Benfica. The 24-year-old defender has only featured in two matches for his new club but has already caught the eye of Harvey Barnes.
Dedich marked his debut with confidence in the opening Premier League fixture against Liverpool and followed that up with two assists in a thrilling 3-2 victory over West Bromwich Albion.
Barnes has praised the newcomer’s performances:
He's really good. To be honest, Amara hasn’t trained much with us. He only joined last week but performed brilliantly in a vital game.
He didn’t look out of place at all. In the second match, he showed his class. We’re bringing in quality players, and Amara has worked with the manager before, so he quickly grasped what was expected from him.
Dedich is already familiar with Newcastle's head coach, Matthias Jaissle, from their time together at Red Bull Salzburg. The Bosnian previously admitted that the chance to work with the German again was a significant factor in his decision to join the club.
After completing his transfer, Dedich expressed his excitement:
This is a special feeling and a huge honour to become a player for Newcastle. The opportunity to work with Matthias again played a big role. We know each other well, and he understands what I can bring to the team on the pitch.
Playing in the Premier League at St James' Park will be a truly special experience. Every match feels like a big celebration here because of the incredible atmosphere.
