The most frustrating thing is the feeling of resignation, the resigned shrug of the shoulders, as Newcastle United see yet another move hijacked by a Premier League rival.

Johan Manzambi will not sign for Newcastle, who have spent weeks putting in groundwork to complete a £50m deal for Switzerland's new superstar. The 20-year-old Freiburg midfielder has instead chosen Aston Villa.

It's difficult to know what to say. What is there to say? Fool me once, shame on me. Fool me countless times, and something has clearly gone painfully wrong.

That hackneyed phrase is sadly relevant for Eddie Howe and Newcastle, but the small sliver of solace can be taken from the fact that there is plenty of time for the decision-makers to accelerate a deal for one of their other targets.

How Newcastle could solve their Manzambi blow

Newcastle's uncertain midfield conundrum has been cast into deeper doubt due to Bruno Guimaraes' desire to sign for Premier League champions Arsenal.

Sandro Tonali has already been sold to Tottenham Hotspur for £100m, so it's crucial that the Magpies package Howe's engine room with high-quality new parts.

Monaco's Lamine Camara, for example, has been of interest for a while, so why not bite the bullet and accelerate plans?

Reports from Italy on Sunday have claimed that the Toon have retained an interest in Atalanta's Ederson now that the Brazilian's proposed move to Manchester United has collapsed.

Content creator Damiano Er Faina has even hailed him as the "strongest defensive midfielder in the world", and now that United are out of the equation, there's a sense that Howe and co could prevail here, should they front up their interest in the £35m-valued midfielder.

Newcastle have a number of top-class talents in their ranks, but they need to add experience. However, fans can rest assured that their club's long-term future is secure, with a potential superstar already having been signed this summer.

Newcastle have already signed a bigger talent than Manzambi

Manzambi is only 20 years old, but he has the physicality, athleticism and technical quality to make an instant impact in the Premier League. It's frustrating, to be sure, but Newcastle have to pivot to an alternative target.

The Swiss World Cup star has the potential to become a real superstar, but Newcastle may actually have signed a bigger one this summer in Sean Steur, who has joined from Ajax for a fee rising to £23m.

Steur is only 18 years old, but he's already showing a lot of ability as a senior player, starting 14 Eredivisie matches and winning challenges and creating passing patterns.

Across three Champions League appearances (two starts) he won 60% of his duels and completed 91% of his passes, unflinching on the big stage, starting against the likes of Qarabag and Villarreal.

Said to have "the potential to be world-class" by Dutch football expert Michael Bell, Steur's technical command and his maturity and calmness on the ball has a very Oranje-esque feel to it, and it could pay dividends on Tyneside.

Newcastle correspondent Luke Edwards said that Tonali "was average last season", so it's fair to say that the right replacement could give the Tyneside outfit quite the facelift.

More is needed, but if Steur stays afloat from a physical and intensity-focused perspective, he could be a real winner in the centre of the park, maybe even outstripping Manzambi, two years his senior.

To lost out on Manzambi to a Premier League rival is the latest kick in the teeth for a team in desperate need of a reprieve in the transfer market.

It doesn't feel like it's forthcoming for Howe's side, but they have signed a potential superstar in Steur, and the young Dutchman could dominate in the coming years.