Swansea’s Jonjo Shelvey says Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers tried to persuade him not to leave Anfield in 2013.
Midfielder Shelvey, 23, told BBC Sport Rodgers even called his dad just before he left for Swansea to make a last-ditch attempt to keep him at Anfield.
The English midfielder joined Liverpool at the age of 18 from Charlton in 2010 but left to agree terms with the Welsh side in a £5m deal.
He will meet his former club on Monday evening as Liverpool and Swansea City face off in the Monday night Premier League tie.
Shelvey said: “I was on the way to Swansea and [Rodgers] told me I didn’t have to go. He spent hours on the phone to my dad in an effort to try and get me to stay. But I had made up my mind to come.
“I will always be grateful to Brendan because he was honest and said he couldn’t offer me the game time I wanted and needed.”