Bosnia’s Amar Dedic Ruled Out for Up to Four Weeks After Newcastle Setback
Bosnia and Herzegovina will be without Amar Dedic for the current international window after the Newcastle United defender suffered a more serious hamstring setback against Leeds United. Head coach Sergej Barbarez said the 22-year-old is expected to be sidelined for three to four weeks and will miss the upcoming fixtures.
Dedic injury sparks Newcastle criticism
Dedic’s early momentum at St James’ Park has been interrupted by a recurring hamstring problem that first emerged during Newcastle’s Carabao Cup meeting with Millwall.
Newcastle initially believed the issue was manageable, but Dedic was selected for the subsequent Premier League defeat to Leeds. He was withdrawn after 58 minutes, having aggravated the injury.
- The original hamstring complaint came in the Millwall cup tie.
- Dedic then started against Leeds United but could not complete the match.
- Barbarez said the Leeds injury is worse than the first strain.
- The defender is now unavailable for Bosnia and Herzegovina’s four scheduled matches, including games against Poland, Romania and Sweden.
Barbarez said Dedic could have joined the national squad had he been rested by his club. “If he had sat out that match, he would certainly be here with us now,” the Bosnia coach said, while adding that such situations can happen.
Busuladzic faces long recovery
Dedic is not the only key player missing from Barbarez’s group. Midfielder Kenan Busuladzic has suffered a cruciate ligament tear and is facing an absence of around nine months.
Barbarez confirmed that Busuladzic will not be available in the foreseeable future, leaving the coach to reshape his options during a compressed Nations League period.
Four players brought into the squad
Barbarez has responded to the injuries by handing senior call-ups to four players, with Luka Duric’s development at Paderborn earning particular attention.
- Benjamin Tahirovic
- Ajdin Hasic
- Arjan Malic
- Luka Duric of Paderborn
The Bosnia boss said Duric has moved forward in his career following his switch to the German club. While the opening weeks of the campaign were not decisive in the selection, Barbarez wants to assess him closely and potentially make him part of the group.
Alajbegovic set to report despite hip concern
There is better news over Juventus prospect Kerim Alajbegovic, who was taken off at half-time against Atalanta after feeling pain in his hip.
Following talks with the player and Juventus medical staff, Barbarez said Alajbegovic had undergone checks and was travelling to Sarajevo. He may be given a day or two of rest, but the issue is not currently expected to keep him out of the international programme.
