Newcastle's Handling of Amar Dedić's Injury Under Fire

Newcastle’s handling of Amar Dedić’s injury has come under fire after the Bosnia and Herzegovina defender was ruled out of the latest international window with a serious hamstring problem.

The right-back had started brightly at St James’ Park, quickly settling into life in the Premier League. Then came Millwall in the Carabao Cup earlier this month. That was where the first warning sign appeared.

Newcastle’s medical staff were initially optimistic. The issue looked manageable, the kind of strain a player might shake off with a few days’ rest. Instead, Dedić was back in the XI for the Premier League clash with Leeds United.

It has proved a costly call.

He lasted just 58 minutes of the defeat before signalling he could not continue. For Bosnia head coach Sergej Barbarez, that moment didn’t just damage Newcastle’s plans. It ripped a key piece out of his own.

Barbarez points the finger

Speaking in Sarajevo, Barbarez did not bother to sugarcoat his frustration. He made it clear he believes the setback could – and should – have been avoided if Dedić had been allowed to fully recover from the initial problem picked up against Millwall.

He described the defender’s latest hamstring damage as “greater than before”, explaining that the injury suffered against Leeds was significantly more serious than the original strain. The implication was obvious: the risk taken at club level has now cost Bosnia in a crucial stretch of games.

“I would like to say a few technical things regarding the extent of Amar Dedić’s injury. He renewed his injury against Leeds, the extent of the injury is greater than before. If he had rested that game, he would certainly be with us now, but such things happen. He will be absent for three or four weeks. He will not be ready for these four games,” Barbarez said.

Those four games are not throwaways. Bosnia face Poland, Romania, and Sweden in a condensed Nations League window, fixtures that were supposed to help Barbarez bed in his ideas with one of his most promising defenders on the pitch, not in the treatment room.

A brutal blow for Busuladzić

Dedić’s absence is damaging. Kenan Busuladzić’s is devastating.

While the right-back is expected to be sidelined for three to four weeks, the young midfielder is staring at the best part of a year out. Barbarez confirmed that Busuladzić has torn his cruciate ligaments, an injury that wipes him out for nine months and strips Bosnia of another important option in the heart of the pitch.

“We also miss Kenan Busuladzić. He will not be in the game for nine months because he tore his cruciate ligaments,” Barbarez revealed, laying bare the scale of the blow.

Two promising pieces of Bosnia’s future, removed in the space of a single international camp.

New faces drafted in

The response has been swift. With injuries biting hard, Barbarez has turned to fresh blood.

Benjamin Tahirović, Ajdin Hasić, Arjan Malić and Luka Durić have all been called into the senior squad as the coach reshapes his options on the fly. The most intriguing name is Durić, who has been making quiet but meaningful progress in Germany with Paderborn.

“We handed out several invitations, we invited Benjamin Tahirović, Ajdin Hasić, Arjan Malić and Luka Durić from Paderborn. He made a step forward in his career, he plays in the Bundesliga. Although the start of the season was not the most important thing, we want to see him in action so that he can be part of our team,” Barbarez explained.

It is a clear signal. This camp is no longer just about results; it is about accelerating the integration of the next wave, stress-tested under real pressure.

Alajbegović scare eased

Amid the grim news, one update brought some relief.

Kerim Alajbegović, the Juventus talent who has been drawing growing attention, sparked concern when he was withdrawn at half-time in a recent clash between Juventus and Atalanta. For a squad already hit by two major injuries, the prospect of losing another key youngster loomed large.

Those fears have eased. After speaking with the medical team in Turin and the player himself, Barbarez confirmed that the midfielder’s issue is minor.

“We spoke with Alajbegović last night. He is slightly injured, he felt pain in his hip. Juventus doctors examined him last night and he is on his way to Sarajevo. He may take a break for a day or two, but it shouldn’t be anything special,” the coach said.

So Bosnia will be without Dedić and Busuladzić, but not Alajbegović. The squad walks into a demanding Nations League block patched up, younger, and under scrutiny.

For Newcastle, the questions linger. For Barbarez, the only question now is whether this reshaped group can turn a bruising injury list into an early test of character – or whether these setbacks will define their campaign before it has truly begun.