Brendan Rodgers reveals he talked Swansea City defender out of move to Newcastle United whilst on Mount Kilimanjaro

After helping to guide Swansea City to promotion to the Premier League for the first time in the club’s history, Neil Taylor was linked with a move to Newcastle United.

Alan Pardew’s side would go on to add Yohan Cabaye, Demba Ba and Gabriel Obertan to their ranks that summer and finish 5th - qualifying for a spot in the Europa League in the process.

Taylor could easily have been one of the new additions that summer and a move to Tyneside was very much on the cards for the Welshman, but he was talked out of a move by then boss Brendan Rodgers.

This isn’t necessarily surprising considering Taylor would go on to make over 150 appearances for the Swans, becoming an integral part of their defence during their time in the Premier League in the process.

However, as Rodgers revealed on the Kammy & Ben’s Proper Football Podcast, a decision on his future was made in a rather surprising place - Mount Kilimanjaro:

"Because we had no phone signal when we were there. I nearly lost one of my players." Rodgers said.

"The club was trying to get hold of me whilst I was away. Neil Taylor was going to leave, and he'd spoken to Newcastle United at the time. Thankfully, I got signal once we got back down the mountain, I was able to talk him around staying after we got promoted to the Premier League."

Taylor is currently a free agent after being released by Middlesbrough earlier this summer.