£25 MILLION FOR DYER

Newcastle United have placed a £25m price tag on Kieron Dyer with a view to flushing out offers from Chelsea or Manchester United for the England midfielder.

In a disclosure bound to dismay their manager Sir Bobby Robson, a source close to the Newcastle chairman Freddy Shepherd - in Kuala Lumpur to watch Newcastle challenge Chelsea, Birmingham and the Malaysia national side for the Asia Cup - said yesterday: "We don't want to sell Kieron Dyer, and we don't have to, but every player has his price.

"That price for Kieron Dyer is £25m and it is only right that both Chelsea and Manchester United should know this. We are in a position of strength as far as Dyer is concerned. We are planning to sit tight and see what happens."

One potential complication could be Dyer's medical. The 24-year-old still has a metal rod inserted in his left shin and some surgeons suspect the rod may need to be removed in the next two years or so, necessitating a lengthy lay-off.

Medical opinion on the matter is divided but this risk could arguably force the transfer fee to be lowered. In any case Dyer's sale would be vehemently resisted by Robson, who yesterday reacted angrily to talk that he was available.

But friends of the player said that though he was happy at Newcastle, a move to Old Trafford, where his friend Rio Ferdinand plays, would appeal.

If Abramovich is a newly recruited member of Dyer's fan club, Sir Alex Ferguson, Manchester United's manager, has long been an admirer.

However, United have so far received only the first £5.8m instalment of David Beckham's £25m transfer fee from Real Madrid and are suffering from cash flow problems, making Chelsea clear favourites to win any auction for Dyer.