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Joao Carlos Teixeira is hoping contract talks with Liverpool FC reach a successful conclusion as he looks to build on his classy performance against Exeter City.

The Portuguese attacking midfielder, who celebrated his first senior goal for the Reds in the 3-0 FA Cup third round replay win at Anfield, is out of contract this summer.

Negotiations over a new deal are ongoing as the 23-year-old battles to prove to manager Jurgen Klopp that he has the qualities required to play a big role in the club’s future.

“We are in conversations at the moment,” Teixeira told the ECHO.

“My contract runs out at the end of this season. I want to stay but we will see what happens.

“I don’t want to think about my future too much right now. I just want to play football. I want to enjoy this moment and try to build on it.

“I just have to keep working hard and keep doing my best in training. Whenever chances come along like this to impress Jurgen Klopp, it’s up to me to show him that I deserve more chances.”

Klopp praised Teixeira for the “big jumps in the development” and insisted “I‘d like to work with him longer”. However, the Reds boss also said that Teixeira is reaching an age where he needs to be playing regularly.

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It’s four years since Teixeira arrived at Liverpool’s Academy in a £830,000 move from Sporting Lisbon. Handed a debut by Brendan Rodgers away to Fulham in February 2014, he then found game-time hard to come by.

A successful loan spell at Brighton last season was cut short by a broken leg but he returned to fitness ahead of schedule in pre-season.

Rodgers opted to keep him at Melwood rather than send him on loan again but he was surprisingly left out of the Europa League squad.

Klopp picked him for the League Cup clash with Bournemouth in October but it was three months before he featured again. The FA Cup tie with Exeter finally gave him another opportunity to showcase his talents and he didn’t disappoint in either game.

Teixeira’s trickery and eye for a pass helped Liverpool create a succession of chances on Wednesday night. Positioned out on the left, he also put in a real shift tracking back. He rounded off a fine display by coolly netting Liverpool’s third in front of the Kop late on.

(Image: James Maloney)

It was a goal at the same end playing for Sporting Under-19s in the NextGen Series which had first alerted the Reds to his huge potential back in August 2011.

“That wasn’t my first goal in front of the Kop,” said a beaming Teixeira.

“My first was for Sporting when I first came here to play against Liverpool.

“But this one felt very special. That was my first in a Liverpool shirt and it was a great feeling.

“It was a great pass from Christian Benteke and I was able to beat the keeper. It’s always good to score and to get one at such a famous stadium in front of a big crowd is even better.”

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Teixeira wasn’t the only one to grasp the chance he was presented with and he believes the dominant performance of such a youthful side bodes well for the club’s future.

There were five home debutants in Brad Smith, Tiago Ilori, Kevin Stewart, Pedro Chirivella and Sheyi Ojo, who came off the bench to curl home the Reds’ second goal.

“It was a great night for all the team. We won at home with a very young team,” said Teixeira, who has been an unused substitute seven times in the Premier League so far this season.

“We played very well and I’m very happy for everyone. The manager told us to go out there and enjoy it. He told us it was 90 minutes of our lives and to do our best. You could see how much effort everyone put into it.

“It was a very different game to the one at Exeter. The pitch was better and bigger here. We were able to pass the ball better and we were able to create so many chances. We dominated possession and played some great football.

“The stadium was full and the crowd were really behind the young players which was very important. The young players showed a lot of character to perform like that.

“The fans can see that there are some very good young players coming through.

“Klopp was very happy with everyone. He put that team out there because he believed we could do well and we managed to repay the faith he showed.”

What have you made of this lad's progress? Let us know in the comments below, or @LivEchoLFC