Newcastle United has secured the transfer of 18-year-old midfielder Sean Steur from Ajax for a fee exceeding 27 million euros, including performance bonuses.
The deal was finalized on Thursday, July 9, 2026.
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Steur made 26 official appearances for Ajax's first team, scoring one goal.
He decided to leave after the Dutch club refused to include automatic playing time clauses in his contract.
Ajax technical director Jordi Cruijff confirmed the club wanted to keep the player but would not agree to the demands.
"The grass decides whether someone plays," Cruijff said.
The impasse in negotiations led Steur to explore options abroad, ultimately choosing the Premier League side.
In his first interview with Newcastle, Steur revealed the talks had been ongoing quietly for weeks.
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"It has been going on for a few weeks," Steur said. The Netherlands youth international expressed excitement about playing in English football and integrating into his new team.
"I have only heard good stories about this. I can't wait to play in the stadium.
That is going to be very special," he said. "I'm also really looking forward to meeting new people and becoming more mature here."
Steur believes the competitive squad at Newcastle provides the best environment for his development. "This is a huge step for me.
I have every confidence that it will succeed. This is a great club and you have so many good players here," he said.
"I want to become a player here that fans remember."
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The decision to let Steur leave has sparked debate among pundits. Football analyst Johan Derksen criticized Ajax's management, calling the departure "really very stupid."
