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Swansea would welcome back Brendan Rodgers - Neil Taylor

Swansea defender Neil Taylor has said "fantastic'' manager Brendan Rodgers would be welcomed back at Swansea.

Rodgers left Swansea for Liverpool in 2012 after taking the Welsh club into the English Premier League for the first time and establishing them in the top flight.

The Northern Irishman has been heavily linked to a Swansea return this summer after his three-and-a-half year stay on Merseyside came to an end last October.

"He did great things for this football club, so there is no reason why we wouldn't want him back,'' said Swansea defender Taylor. "We know he is a fantastic manager but we have to do a job.

"We can think about that at the end of the season.''

Swansea have almost secured their Premier League safety -- they are currently on 36 points and 10 clear of the relegation zone -- after what has been a difficult season for the Welsh club.

Garry Monk was sacked after only one win in three months and Alan Curtis was appointed interim manager.

But Swansea then named Italian veteran Francesco Guidolin head coach in January, with both parties agreeing to review the situation at the end of the season.

Guidolin has since been linked with the Italy job, which will become vacant when Antonio Conte leaves after Euro 2016, and Rodgers remains a popular figure with the Swansea board.

Press Association Sport understands he was their number one target to replace Monk, and the 43-year-old confirmed on Sky Sports in January that he spoke to Swansea at that time.

But Rodgers told Swansea that following his departure from Liverpool he wanted to take a break from football until this summer.

Rodgers has always had a good relationship with the Swansea hierarchy and will attend the next home game against Chelsea on April 9 as a guest of the board.