The Magpies are expected to tie up a deal for Bosnian right-back Amar Dedic after agreeing a deal with Benfica
Lewis Miley of Newcastle United
Newcastle United's Lewis Miley(Image: Richard Lee/Shutterstock)
Amar Dedic's imminent unveiling as a Newcastle United player is excellent news on many levels. Most obviously, it gives Matthias Jaissle a right-back for the opening Premier League game against Liverpool.
The Bosnia international is completing the formalities of a £30m move from Benfica before joining his new team-mates for a full week of training and is expected to be part of the squad which kicks off the season against Andoni Iraola's Reds on Sunday.
Dedic is already match fit, having played for Benfica in their Europa League qualifying matches this summer, and with Tino Livramento unlikely to be ready for the opener, Dedic should be handed his chance.
It comes after a pre-season which has seen United forced into using several players at right-back, with some positive results.
Leo Shahar has been able to show he can build on the promise he has shown in the Under-21s, while the big success story has been Mason Miley's emergence.
The 17-year-old performed impressively on the right side of the backline against Valencia, Everton and Leverkusen, with his display against the Bundesliga side particularly catching the eye.
But it is Miley's older brother Lewis who perhaps should be delighted to see Dedic arrive.
For all Mason's positive showing, had United been forced to go into the Liverpool game without a recognised right-back, then it would have likely been Lewis who was asked to fill in.
After all, he did so with aplomb on several occasions last season, earning plenty of plaudits as he added another string to his already impressive bow.
From a Newcastle perspective, Miley's ability to play that role is a huge positive, but in reality he is far better off being able to focus on his midfield duties.
He has all the tools to become a major player for United this term, but faces competition to nail down a place in the side in Jaissle's new-look formation.
The German appears to favour a 4-2-3-1 set-up, with two central midfielders behind a No 10, meaning there are only two places up for grabs in the centre of the park.
Miley has seen Sean Steur and Aladji Bamba arrive at the club, while another midfielder is expected to be brought in before deadline day - potentially this week.
Even in a more familiar 4-3-3, spots in the first-team picture will be fiercely contested, which makes it all the more important that he is free to focus on winning and keeping his place.
There is huge excitement and expectation over what he can achieve in a black-and-white shirt, but not shunted out to right-back.
And that's why he should be one of the first to shake Amar Dedic's hand.
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