After taking over West Ham in January 2010, David Sullivan revealed the full extent of the club's debts, which totalled £110 million. Shortly afterwards, in addition to the swingeing cuts being made by vice-chairman Karren Brady, Sullivan suggested that Dyer should follow Dean Ashton into retirement; Sullivan expressed the club's frustration that Dyer, who was earning £60,000 "per" week, had only played 18 matches in three years. Dyer's hometown club Ipswich Town had expressed an interest in re-signing Dyer, but the move stalled amid reports Dyer had demanded a £1 million pay-off from West Ham; the media had also speculated about whether Dyer could actually pass a medical.