Newcastle United have completed the signing of 18-year-old Dutch midfielder Sean Steur from Ajax for a fee of £23 million. The club confirmed the deal, with Steur signing a five-year contract at St James’ Park. The move comes amid speculation surrounding the future of Brazilian midfielder Bruno Guimaraes, who has reportedly informed Newcastle of his desire to join Arsenal.
Arsenal have already seen offers of £55 million and £60 million rejected for Guimaraes, according to David Ornstein, but are preparing an improved bid worth £80 million. Newcastle have reacted to the potential departure of Guimaraes by securing Steur, who is highly regarded as one of Ajax’s most promising midfield talents since Frenkie de Jong. While AZ Alkmaar’s Kees Smit has garnered attention, Newcastle believe Steur possesses comparable potential.
Steur expressed his excitement about joining Newcastle, describing it as a dream to play in the Premier League. He acknowledged his positive experience at Ajax, where he spent his youth development, but stated that the opportunity to join Newcastle was too good to refuse. The Netherlands U19 international highlighted his playing style, emphasizing his desire to play forward and his energetic approach to the game.
Steur will wear the number 14 shirt and is Newcastle’s third summer signing, following the arrivals of Bazoumana Toure and Ewen Jaouen. In addition to Steur, Newcastle are reportedly close to adding Swiss midfielder Johan Manzambi to their squad. Sky Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg reports that a full agreement has been reached with SC Freiburg for Manzambi, with a transfer fee of €60 million (£51 million) agreed between the clubs. Aston Villa were also interested in Manzambi, but Newcastle appear to have secured his signature.
Manzambi, currently recovering from an injury, has been a standout performer for Freiburg and impressed for Switzerland at the World Cup, contributing five goal involvements in four matches. Newcastle were aiming for a triple deal involving Steur, Manzambi, and potentially others, and have now successfully completed two of those moves. These signings signal Newcastle’s intent to strengthen their midfield ahead of the new season, despite the potential loss of Guimaraes.
