HIGHLY-RATED Feyenoord striker Dirk Kuyt last night issued a 'Come and Get Me' plea to Newcastle manager Glenn Roeder and claimed a summer move to the Magpies would be the fulfillment of a "dream".

Kuyt, who is a member of the Holland squad for this summer's World Cup, is expected to leave his homeland this summer after eight successful seasons in the Eredivisie.

With Alan Shearer having retired at the end of last season, Roeder is desperate to sign a replacement who can make the number nine shirt his own.

And, after sending his chief scout, David Mills, to Rotterdam in April, the Magpies manager has included Kuyt on a shortlist of summer transfer targets.

The 25-year-old striker, who has scored 51 goals in his last two seasons in Holland, is also attracting the attention of a number of Europe's leading clubs including Liverpool, Chelsea and AC Milan.

The Italian giants are expected to make a formal approach before the start of the World Cup, but Kuyt has told Feyenoord officials he would prefer a move to the Premiership.

Significantly, the Dutchman has also singled out Newcastle as a club he would be particularly keen to join.

"I would love to play in the North-East," said Kuyt, who began his career with Utrecht before moving to Feyenoord in 2003. "When I was young I loved Italian football, but only because (Marco) Van Basten, (Frank) Rijkaard and (Ruud) Gullit were playing for AC Milan.

"Now I'd rather play in England. I love English football. I also think my style of play is completely right for the Premiership.

"A club like Newcastle would be my dream."

Roeder's next move is likely to depend on the amount of money he has available for Shearer's replacement.

The Londonder is expected to meet chairman Freddy Shepherd later this week to discuss his summer spending plans.

Much will depend on how many unwanted players Roeder is able to move before the transfer window swings shut in August but, last week, Shepherd insisted he was not about to stop his previous policy of backing Newcastle's managers to the hilt.

Feyenoord currently value Kuyt at around £10m, but that price could change depending on whether or not he is able to force his way into the Holland first-team in next month's World Cup.

At the moment, Kuyt is an understudy to Ruud van Nistelrooy, another striker close to the top of Roeder's wanted list.

The Manchester United frontman is expected to leave Old Trafford this summer after a bitter dispute with Sir Alex Ferguson that saw him dropped from the side in the second half of last season.

Matters came to a head when van Nistelrooy was ordered out of the team hotel in the build-up to the final game of the season but, while the Dutchman admits his Manchester United future looks bleak, he will not be making any decisions before the end of the World Cup.

"I know a lot of people in Manchester don't understand it, well it is the same for me," said the 29-year-old.

"I love Manchester United. That is why I don't really understand it.

"What has happened has happened. I have a World Cup in front of me, so I need to try and forget about it and move on.

"But one thing I want to make clear is that I went (from the hotel) because I had to go, not because I went myself.

"I have two years left on my contract and if things stay the way they are at the moment I will still be at the club next season.

"But I am not naive and the fact I wasn't involved in the last Premiership game or Roy Keane's testimonial was not a good sign.

"But nothing is going to happen until after the World Cup."

Meanwhile, Roeder has issued an olive branch to Nicky Butt by claiming he has not decided to sell the unsettled midfielder.

Butt is due to return to Tyneside after an unsuccessful season on loan at Birmingham ended with the Blues being relegated to the Premiership, but most observers expect him to quickly shuffled through the St James' Park exit door before the start of next season.

However, Roeder has insisted he will not make any decisions before the dust has settled after the end of the previous campaign.

"I know Nicky Butt very well from my time working with England with Glenn Hoddle," he said. "I worked with him for two years between 1997 and 1999.

"The Nicky Butt I know was excellent back then. He did very well for me.

"But I won't be rushing into anything. There is no need to do that at the minute because there are lots of managers away on holiday now.

"We are still to sit down and talk about who will potentially still be here at the start of the season."