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Liverpool midfielder Joao Carlos Teixeira will be given the opportunity to force his way into Brendan Rodgers’ plans when he returns to the club this summer.

The Reds boss has been delighted by the first-team experience the 22-year-old has gained during a season-long loan spell with Brighton.

Teixeira has scored six goals in 28 appearances for Chris Hughton’s Championship outfit.

The Portugal youth international, who has one year remaining on his contract, recently admitted he faces a battle trying to establish himself at Anfield due to the competition for places in the Liverpool squad.

However, Rodgers intends to run the rule over Teixeira in pre-season and he’s likely to travel to Australia for July’s tour Down Under.

That will provide the stage for Teixeira to prove he’s worthy of a place ahead of the 2015/16 campaign.

Teixeira has admitted that if he doesn’t make the grade at Liverpool he would consider a permanent move to Brighton.

“It’s really difficult because Liverpool are a big club with great players, but you dream of playing Premier League football with Liverpool,” he said.

“I really want that and I’m going to work for it but you never know what’s going to happen in the future.

“Of course I would see Brighton as an option, I like everything here. I like the city and it’s really nice living here.”

Teixeira cost Liverpool around £800,000 from Sporting Lisbon in 2012. His progress was initially hampered by a back injury before he had a short spell on loan at Brentford.

A run of impressive performances for Liverpool Under-21s led to Rodgers handing him his first-team debut in February 2014. He came off the bench for the last eight minutes of the dramatic 3-2 win over Fulham at Craven Cottage.