Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has hinted that Martin Kelly will become a key member of his squad next season.

The defender has featured just 15 times since the former Swansea City boss took over at Anfield in 2012, after spending over a year on the sidelines with a serious knee injury.

However, Rodgers believes that Liverpool's qualification for the Champions League will give Kelly the opportunity to play more games.

"Martin has been really unfortunate," Rodgers told Liverpool's official website. "He was out for a year, he came back this season and at the beginning of the season we put him into some games.

"But as the season wore on and we were concentrating on one game a week, it was very difficult for him to get games. He's a quality player and he's a good guy as well - he knows the club inside out.

He's a good guy and there will be games next year for the likes of him to come and play in if we continue to qualify in the competitions."

Liverpool finished second in the Premier League this season.