NEWCASTLE midfielder Gary Speed yesterday insisted that the likes of Kieron Dyer and Craig Bellamy carry United's hopes of cementing their place among Europe's elite.

World Cup-bound Dyer gave the Magpies a massive boost when he signed a new four-year contract last week, hours before linking up with the England squad.

Midfielder Dyer has since satisfied England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson that he is worth a gamble in the Far East despite not having recovered from the knee ligament injury cruelly inflicted by Southampton's Tahar El Khalej on the final day of the season.

Speed's Wales teammate Bellamy, whose ten Premiership goals in his first year on Tyneside helped United clinch a top-four spot, is in his own battle against knee trouble as he bids to be fit for the start of next term after undergoing surgery for tendinitis this month.

And Speed, now a veteran in the United ranks at 32, spelled out the importance of the young stars as he looked ahead to the Champions' League third qualifying round tie, the first leg of which is on August 14.

"We have to build on what we've achieved,'' said Speed, who joined United from Everton for £5.5m over four years ago.

"We've finished in the top four and our goal next season has to be to better that.

"If we can keep our best young players here, then the future is bright for the next five or six years.

"I joined Newcastle just after they had played in the Champions' League, but I had played in the European Cup with Leeds.

"What we want to do is get through the qualifier and maintain Champions' League football for a few seasons. Only then can we count ourselves among the European elite.

"Some clubs appear in the Champions' League and you don't see them again. If we manage to get through, it means getting in there and going for it the season after as well.

"It's no good being in one season and missing the next five. We can't relax because otherwise we could finish in mid-table next season.''

Manager Bobby Robson has around £20m in his war-chest to ensure United keep pace with the Premiership front-runners.

And the acquisition of a goalkeeper is now a priority with United resigned to losing Steve Harper, who has become frustrated at his lack of opportunities in the shadow of first-choice Shay Given. Republic of Ireland international Given last week signed a new contract tying him to United for the next five years.

Robson issued a hands-off warning over Harper near the end of the season and is reluctant to let him go. But the United boss acknowledges the keeper's dissatisfaction and Rangers, Watford, Southampton and Sunderland will all be alerted.

Easington-born Harper signed a new contract last summer, but has since made only three Worthington Cup appearances. He said: "I didn't sign to sit on the bench and I don't want to go through another season like the last one.'

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