Newcastle United’s summer rebuild keeps leaning on youth, with the club continuing to turn major player sales into long-term additions, hoping for an impact in the future of the club.
On Thursday, Newcastle officially announced the signing of Dutch midfielder Sean Steur from Ajax on a five-year contract.
The 18-year-old will wear No. 14 and becomes the club’s third senior arrival of the summer after Ewen Jaouen and Bazoumana Toure.
“It’s an incredible feeling to be here,” Steur said. “It’s a giant club in the Premier League and it was always my dream to play in the best league in the world, so this is really exciting.”
The Athletic reported a fee in the region of €25 million paid by Newcastle for Steur, who had entered the final two years of his Ajax contract this summer and seemingly wasn’t willing to re-sign with the club.
Steur spent nearly a decade in Ajax’s academy but said Newcastle’s interest changed the situation quickly.
“I was at home at Ajax, I joined when I was seven and I leave with only good memories, but when a club like Newcastle comes for you, it’s really hard to say no,” Steur said.
Eddie Howe called Steur “a top young prospect” and pointed to his Champions League and Eredivisie experience.
“We see real potential in Sean and believe he has the characteristics to become a valuable player for us for years to come,” Howe said.
Sporting director Ross Wilson said Newcastle had to move quickly because Steur was already known across Europe.
“We’ve been aware of his talent for some time but so has the rest of European football,” Wilson said.
Steur made 24 appearances last season and became Ajax’s youngest assister in Champions League history.
