Brendan Rodgers Considers First Team Squad Role for Portuguese Starlet Joao Teixeira

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has indicated Portuguese youngster Joao Carlos Teixeira could be in contention for a place in the first team squad.

The Portugal Under 21 international has spent recent weeks training with the first team at Melwood having made the step up from the club's academy ranks and has steadily impressed Rodgers who has shown little hesitation in handing first team roles to youngsters during his tenure at the club.

The former Swansea boss awarded squad roles to Andre Wisdom, Spanish attacking midfielder Suso and Raheem Sterling last season while also handing Jack Robinson and Jordon Ibe their first team debuts.

This season he handed 19-year-old Brad Smith a first team opportunity against Chelsea while 16-year-old Jordan Rossiter was also named on the bench.

Rodgers's penchant for looking towards the club's youth ranks looks to continue through midfielder Teixeira, who has impressed the club following a disappointing loan spell at Brentford earlier this season.

"I have contact with Alex Inglethorpe on a daily basis and Joao has been one of the outstanding performers for the reserves," Rodgers told the Liverpool Echo.

"When he has stepped up to the first team before it has been difficult for him. But I've seen a big difference in him. He is a talent.

"I always observe in training and see where players are at and Joao has looked very good. His intensity, the speed of his game – he has undoubted quality and he has showed up very well. We have brought in a number of young players to be around the squad.

"Brad Smith has been training along with Jack Dunn, Joao and Stephen Sama. They have all looked very good and that's the idea – to bring young players through."

Liverpool were hit by a wave of injuries at the turn of the year but are slowly seeing members of their squad edge closer to a return. The club's head of performance Glen Driscoll today confirmed Daniel Agger and Glen Johnson have returned to training, while the trio of Mamadou Sakho, Lucas Leiva and Luis Enrique are making good progress in their bids for fitness.