Newcastle United midfielder Sean Steur has quickly silenced any doubts about his ability to cope with the demands of the Premier League during his first month in English football. The 18-year-old joined the Magpies from Ajax for £23m in the summer as part of the club's strategy to target the best young talent across Europe.
Steur had only recently broken into the first-team picture at Ajax, yet he has adapted to the Premier League with apparent ease, featuring in every match so far and impressing in the 2-1 win over Hull City last time out. His form earned him his first Netherlands Under-21 cap last week.
Adapting to a faster game
While head coach Matthias Jaissle and the club's supporters have been delighted with Steur's start, the midfielder knows he still has plenty of work to do. "Now, in every match, I feel like I'm playing in a top league," he told NU Sport. "Everything moves a lot faster than in the Eredivisie. I can't keep it up for 90 minutes, but that's what I need to work towards."
He added: "It's a whole different ball game. In terms of physical duels, too. I just try to stay out of the tackles." Steur is developing that physicality, and he has revealed that the United coaching staff are monitoring his progress closely. "I already went to the gym a lot at Ajax, but here there are really one or two trainers who monitor every repetition," he said. "They hardly leave me alone. They are very good to me."
Confidence under Jaissle
Steur arrived at Newcastle under Eddie Howe, who left just a few weeks later. However, Steur insists Jaissle's arrival has only boosted his confidence. "It was surprising, but I wasn't worried," he said of Howe's exit. "Newcastle is a stable club. And the new manager Matthias Jaissle gives me a lot of confidence."
He also credited his quick settling-in process: "It helped that I had a home within a week. I live a 20-minute drive from the club, on a nice street in a pleasant neighborhood. More team-mates live there."
Family ties and special moments
Moving away from home at a young age brings challenges, and Steur admits to missing his family and twin brother Gijs. However, he feels he has already made a new home in Newcastle, with his parents regularly attending matches. "I am a real family man," he said. "The hardest part for me is seeing them less now. I miss them terribly. Fortunately, my parents often come to watch matches, and other family members try to come too."
Reflecting on playing at St James' Park, he said: "I had heard a lot about the stadium, but it is fantastic. When I stand in the tunnel, it doesn't matter which players are around me. But when I talk about it with friends, I do realise how special it is." Steur is hoping for more experience with the Netherlands U21s when they face Slovenia on Friday, before a home match against Bosnia & Herzegovina on October 6.
