Swansea City boss Garry Monk admits talking Ki Sung-yueng out of a move away.
After being deemed surplus to requirements by Michael Laudrup, Ki impressed on loan at Sunderland and Black Cats boss Gus Poyet was ready to tie up a permanent deal.
Monk said: "I will be honest. I was unsure if he would stay when I initially spoke to him.
"I think it was because his experience here made him unsure if he was really wanted and if it was best for him.
"I sat down and told him how I wanted to go about things and how I felt he could play a big part - and he has been excellent.
"The fact we had a difficult period while he was away shows how important he has become and how well he's been playing."
