Ghana defender Jeffery Schlupp has signed new contract at Leicester City, keeping him at the English club until 2019.
The 22-year-old extends his deal despite reported interest from giants Arsenal.
Schlupp was one of the standout performers for Leicester as they retained their English Premier League status.
The Ghana international was rewarded for his impressive performance in his debut season in the Premiership by winning the club’s Player’s Player and the Young Player of the Year awards.
Reports were rife of an imminent move to Arsenal but Leicester have moved quickly to secure the future of the versatile wing-back who started out as a striker.
The German-born Ghanaian made his first team debut for Leicester in a League Cup tie at Rotherham United in August 2011.
He had a brief trial stint at Manchester United before making a return to the first team where he has worked his way into prominence.
The 22-year-old Ghana international enjoyed an outstanding debut season in the Barclays Premier League, which culminated in a double triumph at the Club’s end of season awards, where he won the Players’ Player and Young Player of the Year titles.With four goals in 35 appearances from City’s left side, the Academy graduate was a key member of the squad last term and instrumental in helping to steer Nigel Pearson’s men towards survival.
Having first broken into the team as a striker, Schlupp’s versatility and selfless attitude towards the team have seen him shine in a number of positions – particularly at left midfield and left wing-back during 2014/15.
His performances for the Foxes have also earned Schlupp further recognition at international level for Ghana, with his first international goal arriving earlier this month in a 7-1 victory over Mauritius.
Blessed with pace and power that seemed ready made for the Premier League, Jeff’s adaptation to the demands of top-flight football were undoubtedly one of the highlights of the last campaign for the Foxes and now, with his long-term future secure, the youngster will be keen to kick on again.
Schlupp first rose through the City ranks with friend and current team mate Liam Moore and got his first taste of first team action during a loan spell at Brentford during the 2010/11 campaign. Six goals in nine games during that time quickly underlined his potential.
The following season an 18-year-old Schlupp made his first City appearance in a League Cup tie at Rotherham United in August 2011, becoming the first Foxes player in 66 years to score a hat-trick on-debut.
Schlupp’s attributes have seen him feature both in attack and as a defender for the Foxes in his early career in the first team, having previously excelled in every level of the Club’s Academy since joining as an 11-year-old.
Injury interrupted the 2011/12 season for Schlupp, though the youngster was able to net six times in 26 appearances and also win his first senior cap for Ghana in a friendly against Gabon in Paris.
During the 2012/13 season, Schlupp continued to progress with City and he helped fire them into the Championship play-offs with crucial back-to-back strikes against Birmingham City and Bolton Wanderers at King Power Stadium during the run-in.
The 2013/14 Championship title-winning campaign saw Jeff settle into life as a left back for the Foxes, playing a key role towards the end of the season following a suspension for Paul Koncheksy against Nottingham Forest.
Those performances earned him a call-up to Ghana’s provisional squad for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, before kicking on again with the Foxes in the Premier League last term. Of his four goals during the campaign, his brilliant equaliser against Liverpool in a 2-2 draw at Anfield was arguably the most memorable.
