Newcastle's £27m support lets 18‑year‑old Steur shine for Dutch U21
In Deventer the young midfielder is ready for his first Jong‑the Oranje appearance, while the crowd wonders how an 18‑year‑old can already have such an impact. The transfer from Ajax to Newcastle United, which involved a fee of up to €27 million, put him straight into the spotlight.
Transfer and first steps in England
Sean Steur left Ajax last summer, despite having only 26 official matches to his name, and signed for Newcastle United. He said that he felt early on that the move was the right one, although he did not see a clear role at Ajax. The English press and coach Matthias Jaissle praised him immediately, with comments such as “Can we just point out how good Steur is?” and “This is not normal for a player of his age.”
In England Steur notes that the intensity and pace are much higher. “I spend a lot of time in the gym and now notice that the weights in the training ground are going up significantly,” he says, as he adapts to the physical demands of the Premier League.
Personal adjustments and challenges
Off the pitch Steur still deals with everyday obstacles; he regularly calls his mother via Face‑time to ask how the washing machine works. “Washing at 30 degrees you can never go wrong, I got that tip from my mother as well,” he laughs.
The distance from his family remains tough. “Missing my family is the hardest part of the new situation. I’m truly a family man and miss my brothers a lot,” he says, although his parents visit regularly.
Debut and expectations with Jong the Oranje
Steur received his first call‑up for Jong the Oranje for the Euro‑qualifying match against Jong Norway, a game that will be played tonight in Deventer. He emphasizes that the next step is to hold out physically for ninety minutes, after he recently went off with a cramp against Hull City.
With three qualifying matches left, Jong the Oranje must give everything to finish second and secure a place in the play‑offs for next year’s Euro in Serbia and Albania. “I am sure we can win the next three games and qualify,” Steur declares confidently.