I rejected Leeds United and Arsenal to join Newcastle United in 'naive' transfer decision

Dyer moved to St James’ Park from Ipswich Town for £6m back in July 1999 - the highest fee the Tractor Boys had ever received for a player at the time in a record that would stand until Sunderland signed Connor Wickham for £8m in 2011. Dyer would go on to spend eight years on Tyneside, playing in the Champions League as well as being capped by England during his time in the north east.

However, as the 46-year-old revealed, he could have ended his career as one of Arsenal’s invincibles, had he not jumped at the chance to move to Newcastle United. Speaking to TalkSport, Dyer also revealed that Leeds United were interested in him at the time and described his decision to move to the Magpies as ‘naive’.

“We had Richard Wright, myself, James Scowcroft and David Johnson – really good young players so the director’s box was full of scouts and it was always in the paper that we were probably going to be leaving that summer, so it was kind of expected.” Dyer said.

“I remember coming back from pre-season and [manager] George Burley pulls me into the office and says, 'We haven’t received any offers that we want to accept so if you start the season with us you have to get your head down’. I said, 'Yeah, of course.'

“Then we finished training and someone said ‘the gaffer wants to see you in his office’ and I go there and he says, 'We’ve just accepted an offer for six and a half million, so you need to go now.'

“I had to drive to Stansted airport and meet my agent before flying to Newcastle. But if I’d have been a bit more wise I probably wouldn’t have ended up in Newcastle.

“At the time, Arsenal wanted me with Arsene Wenger, I spoke to David O’Leary and Leeds on the phone, I spoke to Harry Redknapp who was manager of West Ham at the time." If I’d have known what I know now, I’d have said, ‘I want to wait a bit' and seen if Arsenal or Leeds would have increased their bid because I had the chance to be a part of the Invincibles squad."

Dyer added: "Because you’re so young and naive – plus my agent told me what Newcastle were offering – it was like, 'Ooff we go’, sort of thing. You don’t really know because you have no experience.”

Dyer moved to West Ham after leaving St James’ Park in 2007 before returning to Portman Road four years later. His second spell at Ipswich lasted just a month, however, before he eventually joined QPR on a free transfer in July 2011.

Dyer would spend two years at Loftus Road before a brief spell at the Riverside Stadium with Middlesbrough before hanging up his boots. The former England international retired from football in 2013 and is now a coach at League Two outfit Chesterfield.