Newcastle‘s midfield has been weakened by the departure of Sandro Tonali, who joined Tottenham this month in a deal worth up to £100m.
Young midifelders Sean Steur and Aladji Bamba have sinced arrived from Ajax and Monaco respectively.
Although Saturday’s game came too soon for Bamba, whose move was announced on Friday, Steur played 90 minutes.
“He played really well today,” Howe said. “He can be really pleased with his performance and first showing in Newcastle colours.”
It is rare for an academy graduate to leave Ajax at 18, and for a fee worth up to £23m.
However, Newcastle have to take calculated risks before potential signings like Steur potentially explode in value and are out of reach.
Dutchman Steur clearly has promise.
Willem Weijs, who managed Steur at Jong Ajax – the club’s reserve side – has described him as “one of the highest-rated” players in their academy.
There were glimpses of Steur’s technical ability, composure and vision against National League side Gateshead.
But he will need time to adapt to the physicality and intensity of the Premier League.
“He’s outstanding in his first touches and creating options when playing a possession game,” Weijs said.
“He’s good at scanning; really comfortable on the ball; really good in tight spaces.
“He’s a typical Dutch-type midfield player, but he should focus on his points to develop as well, which is for sure the defensive part.
“He should compete better in the duels, spending much more time in the gym. I know he’s working on that, but he can improve and he has to improve.”
Newcastle have shifted strategy this summer, targeting players aged 20 and under and based on the continent.
Steur, Bamba and fellow newcomers Ewen Jaouen and Bazoumana Toure will need patience.
It is one of the many reasons why Howe will desperately want to keep hold of Guimaraes, having lost Isak, Tonali and Anthony Gordon in the past year.
“We all need to be very supportive to the players that have come in,” Howe said.
“I don’t think we can put too much pressure on them. It’s part of my job to try and take the pressure off them and allow them to develop and to enjoy their time here.”
