WEST HAM are close to agreeing to pay £500,000 for unhappy Newcastle United midfielder Robert Lee.

The former England international last month submitted a surprise transfer request, which was promptly rejected by the Newcastle board.

Hammers manager Glenn Roeder baulked when his former club subsequently slapped a £1m valuation on 35-year-old Lee, who becomes a free agent in the new year.

But Roeder is now ready to meet the Magpies halfway and take Lee to the club he supported as a youngster.

Newcastle manager Bobby Robson has signalled his intention to replace Lee by looking at a succession of targets, the latest being Sevilla's 25-year-old midfielder Francisco Casquero, who is rated at £3m.

Meanwhile, Kieron Dyer will be put on a final warning today when he faces a dressing down from Newcastle's angry hierarchy.

Dyer, along with Carl Cort, Craig Bellamy and Andy Griffin, will be hauled over the coals by Robson and chairman Freddy Shepherd following their no-show at a dinner in honour of club president Sir John Hall.

The Newcastle Four snubbed the tribute to United's former chairman on Spain's Costa del Sol last week and were immediately ordered home from the Magpies' training camp.

Dyer and his three teammates instead to chose to carouse a few bars in Marbella, near where United were based.

They insist they were unaware of the significance of the occasion, and deny allegations of involvement in a drunken brawl with locals. But they will be asked to explain their actions and face club fines totalling around £180,000.

England international Dyer will be forced to cough up the maximum two weeks' wages - over £50,000.

And he will be told in no uncertain terms that his future is at stake after a string of off-field misdemeanours.

Both Robson and Shepherd believe £20m-rated Dyer is an integral part of United's plans as they chase long-overdue silverware.

But he will be left in doubt that, if he steps out of line again, his days on Tyneside will be numbered.

Newcastle are reported to be ready to offer Dyer counselling to help him steer clear of trouble.

Any suggestion that they are willing to cut their losses will prompt renewed interest from Leeds, who are long-time admirers of the 22-year-old midfielder.

But Dyer's first priority is to prove his fitness after over eight months out with shin problems which required two operations.

United are hopeful that both Dyer and striker Cort, who has also yet to feature this season because of a knee injury, could be playing again by the end of the month

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