Roy Keane says former West Ham player drove up to sign for Sunderland, then rejected them by text

The intriguing tale of Roy Keane’s failed attempt to get Matt Taylor as a midfield player for Sunderland has been revealed.

In 2006, Roy Keane took up the role of manager at Sunderland, his first position since quitting football.

Before leaving in December 2008, the Irishman led the Black Cats from 23rd in the Championship to the Premier League at the first attempt.

During his tenure on Wearside, Keane brought in a number of players, including Ross Wallace and David Connolly, and soon after he arrived, he welcomed both of his old Manchester United teammates, Dwight Yorke and Liam Miller.

The former midfielder kept bringing in top talent from his previous team, including Kieran Richardson, Phil Bardsley, and Jonny Evans. He did, however, avoid the Red Devils, recruiting players like Kenwyne Jones and Djibril Cisse.

Matt Taylor was one transfer target Keane was unable to secure.

The versatile player had played for Portsmouth for the previous six years, and in October 2005, he stunned Sunderland and won the BBC Goal of the Month title.

Taylor was linked to teams like Fulham and Tottenham, but he ultimately lost his spot in Pompey’s starting lineup and was seeking to go.

Keane has now revealed the hilarious story of just how close Sunderland came to snapping him up.

Matt Taylor wasn’t keen to link up with Keane

Keane stated, “I tried to get Matty Taylor up to Sunderland, and he had options – Bolton were in for him,” on Gary Neville’s Stick To Football podcast. However, I had a late-night conversation with him in the Sunderland boardroom. We brought him to the practice field and the stadium. I’m not disparaging the boy in the slightest. I was making a sales presentation; Sunderland is a rising star.

“He told me ‘I’ve got this off Bolton’. I was like, I think Sunderland’s a better club than Bolton, that’s my opinion. Whatever. Bolton can argue all day. I thought the chat went really well. I went outside, his car was over there, shook his hand. Brilliant. And you know, good lad. I said think about it, it’s a big decision. He went no problem, I’ve got my family to think about. I said no problem. Never rush a player, I would never.

“Shook his hand outside the Stadium of Light. I see him get in his car and I get a text. I can still see him. ‘Hi Roy, thanks for the chat, I’m going to Bolton.’ Car drives past me. Literally 30 seconds earlier he said it’s a big decision!”

It’s a brilliant story, but Matt Taylor is far from the biggest name that Sunderland came close to signing over the years.

One of the biggest was Virgil van Dijk, with the Liverpool defender previously admitting he had held talks over a move to Sunderland before he hit the headlines.

Other names include Kevin de Bruyne, Ruud van Nistelrooy and Zlatan Ibrahimovic.