KIERON Dyer is expected to complete his controversial transfer to West Ham next week after he was left out of the Newcastle squad for this afternoon's Premier League curtain-raiser at Bolton.
And with fellow Magpies midfielder Nolberto Solano also hoping to clinch a deal to Upton Park before the transfer window closes, Hammers boss Alan Curbishley is lining up an £8m double deal that will enable both clubs to save face following last weekend's unseemly stand-off.
Dyer's proposed move to West Ham collapsed last Friday when Newcastle chairman Mike Ashley dramatically raised his asking price from £6m to £8m at an advanced stage of negotiations.
That led the Hammers to pull out of discussions and their Icelandic chairman, Eggert Magnusson, has subsequently claimed that the Magpies should be "embarrassed" by their conduct in the affair.
Behind the scenes, however, discussions between the two clubs are understood to have continued and a compromise agreement is expected to be signed next week.
Newcastle boss Sam Allardyce had claimed that Dyer was available for selection for this afternoon's game but, after training with his team-mates yesterday morning, the England international was not asked to board the team coach that left for Lancashire.
Solano is also understood to have been omitted from the United squad after he too informed Allardyce of his desire to move to London this month.
The Peru international's family are now based in the capital and, after spending more than eight years on Tyneside during two separate spells with the Magpies, the 32-year-old is keen to end his career in the south.
Curbishley had initially hinted that Solano could be a possible alternative to Dyer, but with the South American able to play at right-back as well as in midfield, it now appears that both players could be on their way to east London next week.
Allardyce will be disappointed to lose Solano, a player who has always proved popular with the St James' Park faithful. But by allowing him to leave with Dyer, the Newcastle boss will be ensuring that he is able to bring in a right midfielder of his own before the transfer window swings shut. Allardyce has already brought in seven players this summer and Geremi, one of his earliest summer signings, was yesterday appointed as Newcastle's official club captain.
The former Chelsea midfielder takes over the position that was vacated when Scott Parker completed his £7m move to West Ham at the start of the summer.
Both Joey Barton and Shay Given have captained the Magpies during their pre-season programme, but after successfully skippering the side in last weekend's 1-0 win over Sampdoria, Geremi has been handed the position on a permanent basis.
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