Homegrown Liverpool players have been capturing the headlines over recent months for reasons both positive and negative, while one such star has been largely forgotten.

While Steven Gerrard is set to leave Anfield after a career as a Red, Raheem Sterling has seemingly no intention of committing to the Merseyside outfit like his current skipper has.

The emergence of Jordon Ibe suggests that the historic club have another youth product turned superstar on their hands also.

However, arguably the most likely to play a significant role in the club’s chances of challenging for silverware consistently for the next five-to-ten years is Jon Flanagan.

The versatile defender has not played one single minute of Premier League action this season due to a serious knee injury but is reportedly on the mend and on the verge of a first-team return.

The local right-back has been on the Kop’s radar for a number of years but had his breakthrough campaign last season, starting 23 league games in Liverpool’s quest for the title.

Despite the presence of an array of international stars in the Anfield set-up, Flanagan quickly became a fans’ favourite within the Reds supporters.

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His tireless work-rate, commitment and never-say-die attitude captured the imagination at the club, with the youngster applying himself with gusto every time he was afforded an opportunity to play.

Interestingly, with the tactical tweaks Brendan Rodgers has made this campaign and the personnel at the Northern Irish manager’s disposal, Flanagan looks like a player that could play a prominent part in the Reds’ 2015-16 campaign.

The bespoke 3-4-3 formation that the Merseysiders have most often deployed in recent times calls for virtuous wing-backs, with the right flank a selection issue for Rodgers.

As Glen Johnson prepares to leave the club this summer and other candidates for the role are better suited to other positions, there is no reason why Flanagan cannot become first-choice in the team next term.

Although the homegrown star still has development to make with the ball at his feet and from an attacking perspective, having Flanagan at right wing-back would certainly solidify the team from a defensive viewpoint.

The youngster has the work-rate and required effort in his locker to successfully fill the role, while he has proven at full-back that he has a good reading of the game and positional sense.

While the contract situations of Sterling and Jordan Henderson may well fill newspaper columns, not many lines have been afforded to the future of Flanagan.

The 22-year-old is out of contract this summer, but will surely pen a new deal at Anfield if physically fit to play.

This unassuming and down-to-earth character is a desirable personality in a sport that is increasingly dominated by unpleasant, greedy and ego-based individuals.

With Liverpool losing stalwarts such as Jamie Carragher and Gerrard in recent years, Flanagan, not Sterling, looks like a unique player in the fact that he could be a Red for the foreseeable future.

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