Sean Steur made his Premier League debut on Sunday evening in Newcastle United v Liverpool and wasted no time winning over the Magpies supporters in the first half. Newcastle lead 1-0 at half-time thanks to an early goal from Anthony Elanga, but it is Steur in particular, still only 18, who is drawing a striking amount of praise on social media.
Fans are overwhelmingly positive about the former Ajax player. His composure on the ball in particular, and the way he is holding his own alongside Lewis Miley against Liverpool's midfield, have caught the eye. "At his age, Steur really should not be this calm on the ball," one supporter writes, while another says: "He constantly wants the ball and keeps dropping deep to collect it. That is very encouraging."
After just 45 minutes, some Newcastle fans are already going much further. "Did we hold Ajax to ransom over Steur? That lad is unbelievable," one reaction reads, while another fan jokes: "We should really pay Ajax another extra fifty million for Steur."
Elsewhere, fans are frequently comparing him with Sandro Tonali, who Newcastle have exchanged for Tottenham Hotspur. "Steur, you have basically replaced Tonali straight away," writes one supporter, while elsewhere it says: "The difference in quality on the ball between Miley and Steur on the one hand and Tonali on the other is like night and day."
For many supporters, the standout feature is the composure Steur is showing on his Premier League debut. "He treats the ball as if it were a newborn baby. He is playing well beyond his years, as if this is his 300th match," reads one notable reaction. Another supporter writes: "Before the game I thought Steur would struggle with the physicality of the Premier League, but so far he is dealing with it brilliantly. He does not look out of place at all."
Already, Steur seems to have built up plenty of credit with his new supporters after one half. "Steur is a star", "Steur is phenomenal" and "that lad is a real baller" are among the most enthusiastic reactions, while one supporter perhaps sums up best how quickly things can move: "Ajax fans say they have not seen a midfielder come through their academy this good since Frenkie de Jong. I promise you: we have something very special here."
There is some caution among the praise, though. A few supporters feel Steur still takes too much risk with his passing at times: "I would like to see him play a bit more simply and force things less, but for an 18-year-old making his Premier League debut, he is doing fantastically."