West Ham United are delighted to announce the signing of England international midfielder Kieron Dyer from Newcastle United for a fee of £5m.
After passing a medical this morning, the 28-year-old midfielder put pen to paper on a four-year deal at the Boleyn Ground, and will be available for selection in our prestige friendly match against AS Roma on Saturday.
Born in Ipswich in December 1978, Kieron joined his hometown club as a schoolboy and made his first-team debut at Portman Road three days before his 18th birthday, in a 3-1 win over Crystal Palace on Boxing Day 1996.
He went on to make 113 league and cup appearances for the Tractor Boys but, after suffering two successive defeats in the old First Division play-offs, he requested a move in the summer of 1999 and was eventually snapped up by Newcastle United for a fee of £6.5million - still a club record transfer for Ipswich Town.
Kieron scored his first goal for the Magpies in a 2-1 defeat against arch-rivals Sunderland in August 1999 - a game that proved to be Ruud Gullit's last in charge - and just weeks later was handed a call-up to the senior England squad, winning his first cap in a 6-0 victory over Luxembourg at Wembley in a European Championship qualifier.
After establishing himself as one of the country's brightest young talents, he went on to appear for England in the 2002 World Cup finals and 2004 European Championship finals, before a succession of injuries halted his progress and restricted him to fleeting appearances for both club and country between 2004 and 2006.
Following an excellent return to form with Newcastle last season, though, Kieron was recalled by Steve McClaren for a friendly against Spain in February and was considered the highlight in an otherwise disappointing England display.
He managed an impressive six goals in 22 Premier League appearances for Newcastle in the 2006-07 campaign, and appeared in the first international at the new Wembley Stadium in June, as England drew 1-1 with Brazil.
A versatile and all-round performer, Kieron has displayed his quality in central midfield, right midfield, at right-back and as a striker, and becomes Alan Curbishley's sixth summer signing ahead of the new 2007-08 Premier League campaign.
After passing a medical this morning, the 28-year-old midfielder put pen to paper on a four-year deal at the Boleyn Ground, and will be available for selection in our prestige friendly match against AS Roma on Saturday.
Born in Ipswich in December 1978, Kieron joined his hometown club as a schoolboy and made his first-team debut at Portman Road three days before his 18th birthday, in a 3-1 win over Crystal Palace on Boxing Day 1996.
He went on to make 113 league and cup appearances for the Tractor Boys but, after suffering two successive defeats in the old First Division play-offs, he requested a move in the summer of 1999 and was eventually snapped up by Newcastle United for a fee of £6.5million - still a club record transfer for Ipswich Town.
Kieron scored his first goal for the Magpies in a 2-1 defeat against arch-rivals Sunderland in August 1999 - a game that proved to be Ruud Gullit's last in charge - and just weeks later was handed a call-up to the senior England squad, winning his first cap in a 6-0 victory over Luxembourg at Wembley in a European Championship qualifier.
After establishing himself as one of the country's brightest young talents, he went on to appear for England in the 2002 World Cup finals and 2004 European Championship finals, before a succession of injuries halted his progress and restricted him to fleeting appearances for both club and country between 2004 and 2006.
Following an excellent return to form with Newcastle last season, though, Kieron was recalled by Steve McClaren for a friendly against Spain in February and was considered the highlight in an otherwise disappointing England display.
He managed an impressive six goals in 22 Premier League appearances for Newcastle in the 2006-07 campaign, and appeared in the first international at the new Wembley Stadium in June, as England drew 1-1 with Brazil.
A versatile and all-round performer, Kieron has displayed his quality in central midfield, right midfield, at right-back and as a striker, and becomes Alan Curbishley's sixth summer signing ahead of the new 2007-08 Premier League campaign.