Jonjo Shelvey: 'Brendan Rodgers tried to persuade me not to leave Liverpool'

Swansea City midfielder Jonjo Shelvey has claimed that Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers tried to persuade him not to leave Anfield in 2013.

The 23-year-old joined the Reds from Charlton Athletic in 2010 before heading to the Liberty Stadium in a £5m deal three years later.

Shelvey told BBC Sport: "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."

Shelvey spent time at Arsenal and West Ham as a youngster before beginning his professional career at Charlton.