West Ham keen to wave Kieron goodbye

Elvin King

WEST Ham are keen to wave goodbye to injury-plagued midfielder Kieron Dyer, who they see as a drain on their restricted resources on around �60,000 a week wages.

And they are reported to have instigated a transfer for the 31-year-old back to his home-town club.

Blues manager Roy Keane poured scorn on suggestions that the England international, who was brought up a goal kick away from Portman Road, would be returning to the Championship club.

When asked about a possible return for Dyer, Keane said: “There is nothing doing on that one.”

The Hammers are said to have encouraged an inquiry by Town, who sold Dyer to Newcastle for �6.5million in 1999.

With the player's reported request for a �1million pay-off and doubts over him being able to pass a medical, West Ham are hinting that the former Westbourne School pupil should hang up his boots.

Dyer has played just 18 times for West Ham, who are struggling with a crippling wage bill, since arriving for �6million in the summer of 2007.

He broke his leg soon after moving to Upton Park and his latest setback is a persistent hamstring injury.

West Ham have been sympathetic, but there is a growing frustration at the club that they are getting little return for their investment.

David Sullivan, who took control of the east London club earlier last month with business partner David Gold, suggests that Dyer should retire as part of a series of drastic cost-cutting measures.

Sullivan, who has spoken out about the inflated contracts awarded at West Ham by the former chairman Eggert Magnusson, did not name Dyer.

But he said: “There is one player who hardly plays at all who might have to accept retirement. That player is earning �60-70,000 a week.

“We have to cut some overheads, staff who are on the administration side and support staff for the team and work down the contracts we have inherited which are terrible.”