Newcastle United has officially announced the acquisition of 18-year-old Ajax midfielder Sean Steur, while they are also reportedly closing in on rising star Johan Manzambi, who gained attention during the World Cup.
Ajax has confirmed that Steur’s transfer to the Tyneside club involves a fee that could rise to £23 million.
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The addition of young talent comes in response to significant departures, with the Saudi Arabia-owned club parting ways with notable players such as Anthony Gordon and Sandro Tonali this summer.
England international Gordon made a move to Barcelona in a £70 million deal last month, while Tonali completed his £100 million transfer to Premier League rivals Tottenham this week.
Manzambi, a 20-year-old midfielder, made headlines while playing for Switzerland in the World Cup quarter-finals before suffering a knee injury during training, following a strong season with Europa League finalists Freiburg.
Newcastle are keen on signing Switzerland’s Johan Manzambi (Getty)
This week, the club also added another 20-year-old talent from the Bundesliga, winger Bazoumana Touré, joining from Hoffenheim for a reported fee of £42 million.
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Speculation continues around Brazil midfielder Bruno Guimaraes, who is reportedly interested in transferring to Premier League champions Arsenal.
Reports on Wednesday indicated that Newcastle’s captain expressed his desire to leave the club following Brazil’s exit from the World Cup after their defeat by Norway in the last-16 stage on Sunday.
Despite competing in the Champions League last season, Newcastle’s 12th-place finish in the Premier League means they will miss out on European football for the upcoming season, a scenario projected to result in tens of millions of pounds in lost revenue.
If Guimaraes were to depart, he would be the third high-profile player to exit St James’ Park this summer, as the club remains focused on recruiting younger players to replace their more experienced counterparts.
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This summer will be pivotal for Newcastle, who faced challenges after selling Alexander Isak to Liverpool for £125 million on the transfer deadline day last year.
Last season, the Magpies acquired Nick Woltemade and Yoane Wissa to fill the gap left by Isak, but neither player managed to secure a spot as the main striker for Newcastle.
Newcastle head coach Eddie Howe mainly relied on William Osula to lead the attack in the closing weeks of last season, as Newcastle finished in the bottom half of the table for the first time since 2022.