Newcastle United hijacked Arsenal & Leeds transfer pursuit - Kieron Dyer signed because of a 'lie'
Former Newcastle United midfielder Kieron Dyer has explained how his move to St James’ Park from Ipswich Town in 1999 came about.
Kieron Dyer arrived at Newcastle United in 1999 as one of the most sought-after young players in English football.
Dyer impressed after breaking into the Ipswich Town first-team in the First Division as well as England at youth level. But after Ipswich failed to secure promotion to the Premier League via the play-offs, several clubs made moves to sign him.
Arsenal, Leeds and West Ham United all made moves to sign Dyer from Ipswich before Newcastle’s £6.5million bid proved to be enough for them to secure the deal. Money ultimately talked and the then 20-year-old felt he didn’t have too much say in the move at the time.
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Kieron Dyer admits Newcastle United transfer wasn’t his ‘first choice’
“Newcastle wasn't my first choice it was just more money [bid],” he told Open Goal. “It was £6.5million.
“If I'd known what I know now and all the managers I'd spoken to, I know Arsenal wanted to buy me as a right-back, Harry Redknapp was playing three at the back [at West Ham United] and saw me as a right wing-back then Ruud Gullit [at Newcastle] and David O'Leary [at Leeds] saw me as a midfielder.
“I know Leeds and Arsenal bid £5million. Then I get pulled in the manager [George Burley's] office and he goes 'we've accepted a bid from Newcastle head to Stanstead Airport and fly up for your medical'. You don't get time to think about it.”
Dyer went on to have a relatively successful career at Newcastle despite various injury struggles. He made 250 appearances for the club, scoring 38 goals and being named in the 2002-03 PFA Premier League Team of the Year. He also made 33 senior appearances for England.
“As soon as my agent tells me the deal I'm like okay,” he added. “This is no disrespect to Newcastle, I had the most amazing time there, we played Champions League football, the fans are unbelievable, but at the time, if I had thought about it, I would have held tight and seen if Leeds and Arsenal would have upped their bids because Arsenal would have been the dream.”
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The lie that helped Kieron Dyer join NUFC
But Dyer suggested he was signed by Gullit under somewhat false pretences as he explained: “Ruud Gullit told me, ‘you are the only English player I’ve signed, you know why I don’t sign English players - they drink too much beer. But I know you’re teetotal’.
“I’ve just got back from Ayia Napa, what the hell! So I was just like ‘yeah, yeah’ but I’m thinking ‘I don’t know who has done your homework! He didn’t sign English players because they drank booze so I slipped through the web there!”
Gullit’s first signing for Newcastle was Scottish striker Duncan Ferguson from Everton. While Ferguson has since become teetoal, he admitted to having a drinking problem during his playing career.
Gullit also signed Louis Saha (on loan), Didier Domi, Silvio Maric, Alain Goma, Marcelino, Franck Dumas with Dyer as his penultimate signing before goalkeeper John Karelse. He was sacked just five Premier League games into Dyer’s career at Newcastle and was replaced by Sir Bobby Robson.