Kieron Dyer is expected to be unveiled as West Ham's latest summer signing today after a £5million fee was finally agreed with Newcastle for the England midfielder. Dyer, 28, was in talks with Hammers manager Alan Curbishley last night after pulling out of Newcastle's preseason friendly at Hull, which the Championship club won 1-0, to travel to London.The former Ipswich star, who has been at St James' Park for eight years, was first linked with a move to Upton Park a fortnight ago and stunned Newcastle boss Sam Allardyce last week by requesting a move for 'family reasons'. The final straw for Dyer, who has never enjoyed a close rapport with Newcastle fans, came this week when his house was pelted with eggs.
Allardyce has been holding out for a reasonable offer for Dyer, who has become one of the highest earners on Tyneside with wages in excess of £80,000 a week, a figure which only West Ham seem prepared to match.
Newcastle's other significant wage earner, Michael Owen, also pulled out of last night's game at the KC Stadium after failing to shake off the thigh strain which has ruled him out of almost two weeks of pre-season. Owen's absence gave 18-year-old Andy Carroll another opportunity to impress Allardyce, along with a handful of other young players. Carroll, who has been linked with a loan move to Hull, had few chances to penetrate the home defence as the hosts bossed most of the first half.
You just got rid of the most injury prone player in the whole of EPL. 