Football League expert David Bevan has the lowdown on the Leciester City youngster who can play up front or at left-back
Manchester United's decision to take Jeffrey Schlupp on trial from Leicester City came out of the blue as far as fans of the Championship club were concerned.
It is not uncommon for younger players to head off to the biggest clubs in the country so that English football's elite can take a closer look at their talent, but Schlupp has enjoyed a run in Leicester's first team this season and appeared to be able backup for first choice left back Paul Konchesky.
Leicester manager Nigel Pearson has enjoyed a good relationship with United, taking numerous young players both on permanent deals and productive loans from Old Trafford.
Perhaps keen to see this continue in the future, Pearson has agreed to Schlupp's long trial at the Premier League leaders. So what kind of player have United got on their hands for the time being?
Born in Hamburg and schooled in Milton Keynes, he went from the German Under 19 side to the senior Ghanaian national setup via a loan at Brentford which featured an appearance at Wembley in the 2011 Johnstone's Paint Trophy final.
Leicester fans, impressed by Schlupp's spell with the Bees, were expecting big things from the youngster upon his return to the club and an early hat-trick in a League Cup tie at Rotherham seemed to indicate his potential.
At this point Schlupp was still seen as a striker who could also play on the left wing, adept at running at defenders with searing pace, but a pre-season tour of Scandinavia ahead of the 2011/12 season saw then Leicester manager Sven-Goran Eriksson surprisingly select Schlupp at left-back.
A series of substitute appearances - each in the centre-forward position - in the Championship followed, showcasing raw ability if not the kind of assured displays which may have resulted in more starts.
Schlupp has enjoyed more success this season when deputising for Konchesky at left-back, initially impressing as a substitute against Blackpool in September and helping to nullify the threat of Tangerines wide men Thomas Ince and Matty Phillips.
A run in the team during November followed, including the 6-0 demolition of Ipswich Town and a 2-0 success at Sheffield Wednesday.
He was strong against more experienced opponents, timed the vast majority of his tackles perfectly and generally didn't look out of place in an in-form side.
Schlupp's final Leicester appearance to date came at Elland Road when he conceded an early penalty which led to the only goal of the game. With that, Konchesky was back into the fold and there has been debate among Leicester fans as to which of these two very different players is the better option at left back.
The uncertainty over Schlupp's future is intriguing and the ball is now in United's court over whether to pursue a permanent deal.
He impressed in an Under-21 game for the Red Devils earlier this week playing as a striker, but could it be that Ferguson sees him as a future replacement for Patrice Evra or perhaps a partner for Wayne Rooney?
Either way, a career at the top level beckons for a player who has shown remarkable maturity in a variety of roles and whose quickfire acceleration is perfectly suited for the Premier League.
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