KIERON DYER has double reason to celebrate today as he belatedly sets off to join England's World Cup build-up after signing a new £12m deal with Newcastle United.

The midfielder, whose world looked to have fallen apart last weekend when a knee ligament injury effectively ruled him out of this summer's Far East pageant, will be on cloud nine jetting to England's base in Dubai having committed himself to a four-year, £60,000-a-week contract with the Magpies.

Dyer knows he could yet be brought down to earth with a bump if he fails to prove his fitness under the watchful eye of England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson before next Tuesday at the latest.

But his progress since he was the victim of an horrendous tackle by Southampton's Moroccan defender Tahar El Khalej at St. Mary's last Saturday, prompted Newcastle boss Bobby Robson to implore Eriksson to witness Dyer's dramatic recovery at first hand.

Robson was also buoyed yesterday as United confirmed that goalkeeper Shay Given has agreed a fresh five-year deal after sudden uncertainty had surfaced over where his future lay.

But it is the agreement with 23-year-old Dyer which will be seen as a major coup, almost a year after Newcastle opened preliminary negotiations in an effort to fight off interest from the likes of Manchester United, Leeds and Inter Milan.

The deal was finally thrashed out late on Wednesday night following behind-the-scenes discussions. And Dyer, signed by Robson's predecessor Ruud Gullit from Ipswich for £6m in August 1999, yesterday admitted his excitement at the prospect of playing in the Champions' League next season after Newcastle's fourth-place Premiership finish guaranteed their entry into the third qualifying round.

Dyer, whose time on Tyneside has been blighted by long-term injuries, said: "I am absolutely thrilled to have signed a new contract with Newcastle.

"This club is going places, I am very ambitious to win things, and the club is too. The club is capable of winning honours and capable of competing at the highest level.

"I am pleased that this will also quash any rumours about me going to play anywhere else."

Dyer put pen to paper at St. James' Park yesterday before undergoing further treatment on his knee.

Eriksson and the England medical staff will assess his fitness over the weekend.

But Robson predicted that Dyer would be fit to play in ten days' time, a week before England's World Cup opener against Sweden. "Our people are very optimistic and so is Kieron," said Robson.

Dyer said he was feeling "surprisingly good," and added: "The knee is getting better each day and I am getting less and less discomfort from it.

"At the end of the day, the decision is England's. I will not go to the World Cup if I am not fit.

"But I have certainly not given up, and from what I've been told, Mr Eriksson has not given up on me."

Like Dyer, Republic of Ireland international Given is World Cup-bound. There were doubts about whether the 26-year-old keeper would agree a new deal when Newcastle issued a strongly-worded statement this week in response to his claims that he was frustrated by a delay.

Angry club officials turned the tables on Given, who had been linked with Celtic and Manchester United, saying they didn't have "a single clue'' about his intentions.

However, all was well yesterday as Robson said: "We are delighted two of our big players have signed new contracts with the club.

"These two players, and the others we have, will have a major influence on our future.

"It's a sign that Newcastle United can sign the top players and stave off opposition from wherever that may come from.

"I wish them both every success in the World Cup. They are both world-class players who will be performing at the highest level there is."

And Given, preparing for the Republic's game with Nigeria last night in Dublin, said: "I am delighted to be signing the new contract with the club.

"Newcastle United are going in the right direction and it's something I definitely want to be a part of."

Newcastle chairman Freddy Shepherd added: "Kieron and Shay have demonstrated their commitment to the long-term success of Newcastle United and taking the club forward into Europe.

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