GOAL takes a look at the young midfielder and how he rose to professional status at one of the world's top clubs
There are few clubs that are better at developing talent than Ajax. How many of the game's best have walked through the club's halls in Amsterdam? From legends like Johan Cruyff, Marco van Basten, Dennis Bergkamp, and Frank Rijkaard to modern stars like Christian Eriksen, Frenkie de Jong, Matthijs de Ligt, and Ryan Gravenberch, there are few better places to start your career than Ajax.
Several Americans have walked those halls, too. Sergino Dest is the most notable example, even if he now plays at rivals PSV. Old heads will remember John O'Brien's time at the club, too. Now, there's an American impact on the women's side, too, with Lily Yohannes emerging as one of the world's best young players after breaking through with the club.
Could there be another American breakthrough on the horizon, though? Meet Xander Newstead, the American starlet in Ajax's academy who has just taken a significant leap at soccer's best talent developer. Just 15, the midfielder recently signed his first professional contract at Ajax, taking him one step further as he continues his fledgling career.
But who is Newstead? How did he get to Ajax? Who does he model his game after? GOAL takes a look at the young American midfielder…
AJAXAmerican beginnings, Dutch foundations
Set to turn 16 next week, Newstead was born in San Francisco and spent the first nine years of his life in California. It was there that he fell in love with the game and developed the initial dream of playing at the highest levels.
"We would play FIFA's career mode," he revealed in an interview with the club, "and we started to think about how beautiful it would be to play at big clubs like Ajax someday."
At age nine, Newstead and his family moved to the Netherlands, where he initially played for Ajax's partner club DSS. Soon, he joined up with the Ajax Academy, where he has most recently played with the club's U-16 team.
The move to Europe came with obvious challenges. In addition to the fierce competition he faced at Ajax, Newstead also had to adjust to life off the field after leaving San Francisco behind. The most obvious barrier was the language, but Newstead said, after some initial struggles, he was able to bridge that gap rather quickly.
"Of course, I had to learn Dutch, so that was a difficult language," he said. "…It’s really a great club and I’m really happy to be a part of it. I was very well taken care of. The beginning was difficult for me because I couldn’t speak Dutch and it was difficult for me but after seven months, I think, I could speak it."
AdvertisementContract signing
Newstead's contract with Ajax won't officially kick in until July. It is a reminder of how young he is, and of how impressive it is that Ajax has shown faith in him by handing him a deal at his age. The club thinks highly of him, though, which is why Director of Football Marijn Beuker was so eager to get this done.
"More than five years ago, Xander came to the Netherlands from the United States with a great mentality and work ethic," he said. "He has developed fantastically with us. Xander is an intelligent player with a good sense of positioning, and his deep runs often free him up in the scoring zone. We are pleased that Xander has signed his first contract today and can continue to develop at our club in the coming years."
Newstead had several important figures in his life there for his big moment. His father, mother, and sister were there, of course, but he also invited two of his closest friends over from America to witness the moment he became a professional.
"I’m really proud. I’ve been with the club for six years and I’m really happy to sign today," he said. "It felt really good. It really is a great moment for my family, and I’m really happy that I can be with this club."
AFPIdolizing Kaka
Newstead was just eight when Kaka retired. He certainly wasn't old enough for the Brazilian star's heyday. He was born six-and-a-half years after the 2002 World Cup triumph and two years after the Ballon d'Or. Kaka is as much an urban legend as he is a player to kids Newstead's age.
That's the Ajax starlet's idol, though. That's whose game he looks to as the perfect representation of what soccer should look like.
"Kaka," he answers immediately when asked about who he looks to for inspiration. "He is a good player, very good on the ball, who can pass well. I try to do those things, too. I watch clips of him on YouTube and I want to do what he does."
Newstead, too, is an attacking midfielder. He can play as either an No. 8 or No. 10 and, right now, there's no real preference. What he likes most is creating, which makes sense given whose clips he watches when he fires up YouTube.
"I am a creative player," he says. "I am good with the ball. I can give good passes, but I also work very hard for the team."
Looking ahead
Newstead is eligible for the Philippines but, thus far, his international experience has been with the U.S. He was a member of the U.S. U-16 squad back in November, serving as the lone non-MLS-based call-up. Those were under the first international matches for new U-16 boss Alex Aldaz, both of which ended as 1-1 draws. That wasn't Newstead's only USYNT experience. He was also previously called up to the U.S. U-15s for the first time in April 2024.
The young midfielder isn't the only American at Ajax at the moment. U.S. women's national team star Yohannes is also with Ajax, having broken through for both club and country over the last year. Yohannes, one of women's soccer's top rising stars, was one of the top commenters on Newstead's Instagram post revealing his new contract, showing off the synergy between the Americans in Amsterdam.
Yohannes, of course, made her debut at age 16, becoming the youngest player to ever start in a Women's Champions League group stage game. Newstead, of course, isn't expected to be anywhere near that trajectory. It'll take time for him to push towards the first team, even at a club like Ajax that is so heavily reliant on youth players.
Either way, Newstead is one to watch, even if he is still a few years away. There are few better places to be than Ajax, though, and Newstead is on his way after signing that first pro deal.
