KIERON Dyer has confirmed that he will put love before money when it comes to deciding where to play his football next season.

And this could mean a permanent return to Ipswich Town in the summer.

The 32-year-old home town boy returns to Portman Road in a Blues shirt for the first time for nearly 12 years when Town entertain Watford in an npower Championship fixture tonight (kick-off 7.45pm).

He is on loan from West Ham for a month and although he felt the effects of 70 minutes in Saturday’s 0-0 draw at Leeds he says that he will feature either from the start or off the bench.

Brought up less than a mile from the ground, Dyer is bound to receive a warm welcome back, and he could not hide his delight and the man who has been on big Premier League wages for the last decade said:

“I have not got to think about money in the summer when my West Ham contract ends.

“It is a good situation to be in.

“There are a couple of clauses in my contract but they should be sorted and make me free to decide what to do.

“The Championship is a possibility and perhaps abroad – the USA.

“But the decision will be made in my interests and the interests of my family.

“Ipswich Town means everything to me as they gave me my chance and I have blue in my blood.

“I don’t have to worry about money and through my injury problems it has been wanting to play that has driven me on. It’s made me want to get fit.

“It was always my ambition to play in the Premier League here.”

And Town manager Paul Jewell backed this up when he said: “I want to bring quality players to a quality football club.

“If Kieron is fit and playing well I will definitely want to bring him here in the summer.

“But at the moment it’s just for a month.”

Dyer is expecting to go back to Upton Park after the April 9 home game against Crystal Palace.

He added: “I owe West Ham having not played much football and they have not seen the best of me.

“If I go back and they do not want me then who knows, but if they want me then I am West Ham player – that is the bottom line.

“I get on well with Avram Grant and he’s a big fan of mine. We are close and he told me to benefit from the loan and then go back and help his side.”

Youth team player Josh Carson could be a surprise addition to the Town squad tonight having travelled as 19th man to Leeds at the weekend.

WOULD you like to see Kieron Dyer back on a permanent basis? Let us know - e-mail starsport@eveningstar.co.uk