Liverpool: 5 Brightest Academy Talents Who Could Be a Future Steven Gerrard

Steven Gerrard's announced summer departure from Liverpool, the club he has served for 17 years, has underlined a need to find the long-outstanding midfielder's successor.

On Gerrard's announcement, manager Brendan Rodgers spoke of the need to replace the 34-year-old, as reported by Andy Hunter of The Guardian.

Rodgers underlined: "There is no doubt Steven moving on leaves a void on and off the pitch but the club has to keep moving forward to bring in the best players we can to this wonderful football club."

The manager then continued: "We need to replace that quality either through some of our young players getting an opportunity or our players stepping up to the mark but also by bringing in that quality."

While signing the right players can go some way to replacing Gerrard, the club's academy will be vital.

Gerrard's showcase of loyalty is supremely rare in modern football and is evidently linked to his Liverpool roots.

Finding the next academy star may be the best way to replace the departing Englishman.

Jordan Rossiter tops our list, but who else makes our five brightest Liverpool academy talents who could be a future Steven Gerrard?

Daniel Trickett-Smith

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Daniel Trickett-Smith joined Liverpool from Crewe Alexandra in 2012 and signed his first professional contract with the club a year later, according to James Pearce of the Liverpool Echo.

Slowly working his way through the ranks, the 19-year-old moved up to the U21s this season.

In terms of playing style, Trickett-Smith is a composed midfielder, with great positional sense off the ball, who, while a versatile option, is best played in an advanced role.

These qualities underline how he could adapt to the pressures of Premier League football.

It may be early days yet for Trickett-Smith, but with a commitment to his development, the midfielder could look to emulate Gerrard's glory days at Liverpool, where he enjoyed phenomenal success playing just behind Fernando Torres.

Jack Dunn

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Twenty-year-old midfielder Jack Dunn is the most attacking of our five academy prospects, and this again points more to the Gerrard of old.

A versatile, intelligent forward, Dunn has enjoyed a rise through the Liverpool ranks in recent years.

So far, this has culminated in an exceptional cameo display in the side's 4-0 post-season friendly victory away to Shamrock Rovers.

Replacing Fabio Borini on 78 minutes, Dunn added to the scoreline just seven minutes later in an encouraging performance.

Currently on loan with League Two side Cheltenham Town, Dunn will be looking to develop his game in order to force his way in Rodgers' future plans. A goal on his debut, in a 2-1 away victory over Oxford United, will have helped his cause.

Adam Phillips

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Next up is soon-to-be 17-year-old midfielder Adam Phillips.

Slowly making a name for himself in Liverpool's academy sides, Phillips was selected by Rodgers to travel with the first team on their pre-season tour of the USA.

This is Anfield's PJ Vaughan believes Phillips is showing "the same promise as Ross Barkley did a couple of years ago."

Vaughan continues: "Phillips has a bit of everything in his game. He is strong, he loves to tackle, and he loves a 50 yard pass and is deadly accurate with the same. His crossing is pin-point accurate and he is a master of free-kicks."

This outlines an all-round midfield game in Phillips similar to that of Gerrard, as evidenced by a two-goal debut for the Reds' U21s side in September's 4-3 loss to Manchester City.

Perhaps Liverpool's most talented youth prospect.

Jordan Lussey

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Another promising midfielder in Liverpool's academy ranks is Jordan Lussey.

LiverpoolFC.com recently described Lussey as "a combative, box-to-box presence [with] both a strong passing range and a keen eye for goal when opportunities arise."

Each of these qualities could be attributed to Gerrard throughout his career with the Reds.

While captaining the U18s side in the FA Youth Cup in 2013, Lussey told Pearce of the Liverpool Echo of his admiration for Gerrard:

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I used to run about the playground pretending to be Steven. With him being a local lad as well, he’s an absolute idol and someone I model my game around...He’s the complete midfielder and a big role model for me.

"

Making strong progress at Liverpool's Kirkby academy base, Lussey could become the next Gerrard.

Jordan Rossiter

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The most obvious choice as we search for a potential next Gerrard is young midfielder Rossiter.

Storming onto the scene with a goal in his debut for the Liverpool senior side in September's 2-2 League Cup penalty shoot-out victory over Middlesbrough, Rossiter is rightly tipped to make it on Merseyside.

After the game, Henry Winter of The Telegraph quoted Rodgers on the 17-year-old:

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Jordan could walk to Anfield from where he grew up. He showed wonderful composure...Opportunity is the biggest thing a young kid can want and they know that I will always look to them. My job is to grow young talent otherwise there is no point having our academy.

"

Rodgers acknowledges the importance of Liverpool's academy, and this has shown this season with Rossiter making the substitutes' bench in the Premier League on occasion.

This came as recently as Saturday's 1-0 victory over Sunderland.

An all-action midfielder with strong ties to the club, Rossiter could well be Liverpool's next Gerrard.

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