'Biggest mistake' - Newcastle United rising star slammed for making move to St James' Park
Newcastle United midfielder Sean Steur has been criticised for leaving Ajax.
Ruud Gullit is hopeful Sean Steur can prove his doubters wrong after being criticised following his move to Newcastle United.
The 18-year-old midfielder’s decision to leave Ajax ‘too early’ has been labelled a ‘big mistake’ in the Netherlands, according to former Magpies boss Gullit.
Steur made just 26 appearances for the Eredivisie giants before joining Newcastle for £23million in the summer. He was one of the club’s standout performers during pre-season and has featured in all six competition matches so far.
Like Steur, Matthias Jaissle’s side have also made a positive start to the campaign, having gone the opening five matches unbeaten before Monday night’s 4-1 hammering at Leeds United.
Gullit has been ‘pleasantly surprised’ by his former club after a major summer of change that saw head coach Eddie Howe depart alongside key players Anthony Gordon, Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimaraes, and hopes they and Steur can continue their encouraging start to the season.
"In Holland, people said that Sean Steur was making the biggest mistake because it was all too early, and we’ve seen a lot of players who go too early never to be seen again, so I hope that he will do well at Newcastle United, I really do,” Gullit told ComeOn.
"I have been pleasantly surprised by how well Newcastle have been doing and I am very, very happy for them because their fans deserve it, but the competition has only just started. I will watch with hope and enthusiasm that Sean Steur grows into the team, and they bring the club success.
"He still needs to learn a lot. He’s still so young. Let’s see what happens."