Newcastle United sign 18-year-old Sean Steur from Ajax for £27m

Newcastle United have completed the signing of 18-year-old midfielder Sean Steur from Ajax for an undisclosed fee, believed to be around 27 million pounds. The Dutch teenager signed a five-year contract with the Premier League club, becoming manager Eddie Howe's third acquisition of the summer transfer window.

Steur, who progressed through Ajax's famed youth academy, made 25 first-team appearances for the Dutch giants in the second half of last season, gaining experience in the Eredivisie and Champions League. He completed his medical on July 8 and was officially unveiled on July 9. The midfielder will wear the number 14 shirt, which became vacant following the club-record sale of striker Alexander Isak to Liverpool last summer.

In a statement on Newcastle's official website, Steur expressed his excitement about the move. He described Newcastle as a giant club and said playing in the Premier League was a lifelong dream. The player acknowledged his deep roots at Ajax, having joined at age seven, but stated the opportunity to join Newcastle was too significant to refuse. He described himself as an energetic, forward-thinking player comfortable operating between the lines.