I signed for Newcastle United by accident; I would have preferred to join Arsenal or Leeds United.

I was inadvertently recruited by Newcastle United; I would have preferred to join Arsenal or Leeds United.Kieron Dyer has disclosed the circumstances that precipitated his transfer from Ipswich Town to

Newcastle United in 1999. Dyer emerged as one of the most sought-after teenage players in English football after playing for Ipswich in the First Division and for England at the youth level. However, subsequent to Ipswich’s failure to achieve promotion to the Premier League through the play-offs, numerous clubs pursued his services.

Newcastle’s £6.5 million offer allowed them to secure Dyer’s signature before Arsenal, Leeds United, and West Ham United. However, the 20-year-old at the time believed that he did not have a significant amount of control over the decision. “Newcastle was not my initial choice; it was simply the more lucrative bid,” he stated in an interview with Open Goal.

“The sum was £6.5 million.” “If I had known the information I know now and had spoken to all the managers I have spoken to, I would have known that Arsenal wanted to purchase me as a right-back. Harry Redknapp, who was playing three at the back at West Ham United, viewed me as a right wing-back. Ruud Gullit at Newcastle and David O’Leary at Leeds all viewed 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. “As soon as my agent tells me the deal I’m like okay. 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.” 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 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!”

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.

Before goalie John Karelse, Gullit also signed Louis Saha (on loan), Didier Domi, Silvio Maric, Alain Goma, Marcelino, Franck Dumas with Dyer. Only five Premier League games into Dyer’s Newcastle career, he was dismissed and replaced by Sir Bobby Robson.