The Liverpool defender Jon Flanagan is to be awarded a new contract this summer having resurrected his Anfield career under Brendan Rodgers.
The 21-year-old has established himself as a key part of Liverpool's title-chasing team, in the right and left full-back positions, and Rodgers has compared the defender to a young Steve Nicol following Sunday's accomplished performance at Manchester United. Flanagan enters the final 12 months of his existing Liverpool contract at the end of the season but will be offered a long-term extension in recognition of his growing influence at the club.
Rodgers confirmed on Thursday: "Jon will be given a new contract. Come the summer he's got another year so he will definitely be given a new deal in the summer, no question. He has been outstanding. He reminded me of Steve Nicol against Manchester United on Sunday – a right-footed player on the left side, steady, aggressive, no fear; he's been a revelation, and particularly in the big games. It's great when you see a young player develop like that. You can see the confidence he has now. He has made himself an important member of the squad."
The Liverpool-born academy product made his first-team debut under Kenny Dalglish almost three years ago but did not kick on and played only twice in Rodgers' first season in charge. Since returning against Arsenal in November, however, Flanagan has developed into a consistent and confident defender, one who Liverpool's manager believes could have a long-term future at left-back.
Rodgers added: "If he keeps his focus and keeps working well he can do that. He was only born in '93, he's only very young, but his performance levels are so mature. United had to change [Juan] Mata over at the weekend. He booted Mata over to the other side and then [Adnan] Januzaj as well. He's not easily fazed.
"I think the biggest thing for me has been his temperament; that is one of his attributes. He never really featured for me at all at the start. There was José Enrique and others considered in front of him but the most impressive thing for me was that the kid just kept going. He showed his determination. We spoke a number of times about him going out on loan but no one came in for him on loan. That didn't faze him. He went away with the reserves to Seville and was pushing skips through the airport.
"How I work is I will always give players an opportunity. I will never disregard players early, they will always have a chance to show that they care and they can improve and that is what he has done. I had Gareth Southgate down here yesterday and he was raving over him. He is a wonderful young talent but in order to stay at that level he needs to focus and concentrate on staying in the team."
Rodgers expressed dismay at Flanagan's exclusion from both England's Under-21s, managed by Southgate, and the senior side for the international friendlies at the start of the month. But, after the meeting with the Under-21s coach, he is content for the defender to concentrate on Liverpool's pursuit of a first league title since 1990.
"He [Southgate] has obviously got Jack Robinson at left-back and I think he has more or less kept the same squad for the Under-21s," said the Liverpool manager. "I think for young Jon it is more a case of focusing on his Liverpool career. That, first and foremost, is what he has craved over the last few years. He thought the opportunity might have passed him by but now he is grabbing it with both hands and doesn't want to let it go.
"You can see the hunger and his quality in his performances. We had another debrief of the United game this morning and you could see the quality in his one-touch passing. It was excellent."
http://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/mar/20/brendan-rodgers-jon-flanagan-liverpool-contract
