Newcastle United have agreed a £23 million deal to sign Ajax teenager Sean Steur, beating Liverpool and other top clubs to the 18-year-old midfielder. The move is intended to fill the gap left by Sandro Tonali.
Steur's rise at Ajax
Steur made his Ajax debut in the 2024/25 season under Francesco Farioli but began the 2025/26 campaign with Jong Ajax. After Johnny Heitinga was sacked in November, interim manager Fred Grim handed Steur his opportunity, and he remained a regular even when Oscar Garcia took over. The two-footed playmaker, who stands 6ft tall, has made 26 first-team appearances for Ajax, scoring one goal and registering two assists, including three Champions League outings last season.
Comparison to Kees Smit
Insiders at Ajax's academy believe Steur is their biggest prospect since Frenkie de Jong. Several top clubs reportedly see him as a better option than AZ Alkmaar's Kees Smit, whom Newcastle have long admired. Smit, 20, is valued at around £60 million and has been linked with Real Madrid. Steur's profile, according to DataMB, ranks in the 95th percentile for progressive carries and the 94th percentile for successful forward passes across Europe's top seven leagues last season, with comparisons to Ryan Gravenberch, Mateo Kovacic, and Khephren Thuram.
Transfer details
Newcastle sporting director Ross Wilson has secured another top young talent after signing winger Bazoumana Toure, 20, from Hoffenheim and goalkeeper Ewen Jaouen, 20, earlier this summer. Arsenal, Manchester United, and Liverpool had all been linked with Steur, but the Magpies won the race after Liverpool hijacked their move for Victor Munoz last month. Eintracht Frankfurt also made a serious attempt in January.
What Ajax's director says
Ajax's director of football, Marijn Beuker, said: "He is a great talent and has been promoted early for a reason over the past few years. Sean is a dynamic midfielder who can dribble well and always looks for solutions going forward. We have a lot of confidence in a bright future for him at our club."
Role at Newcastle
Steur is expected to go straight into Newcastle's first-team squad, competing with Bruno Guimaraes, Lewis Miley, Joelinton, Jacob Ramsey, and Joe Willock for a midfield place. The move is seen as a potential coup of the summer transfer window.
