Striker Schlupp plays as a left-back

Bruno Berner had no doubt that Leicester City’s Ghana international Jeff Schlupp could make the switch from being a striker to playing at left-back.

After all, it was a transition that the Swiss international made himself. Berner, who watched Schlupp step up from the youth ranks while he was a first-team regular at City before retiring two years ago, was a striker himself during his youth days at Grasshopper Zurich before switching to left-back.

Schlupp’s performances for City this season in defence have led to the possibility of a call-up to the Ghana national team for this summer’s World Cup.

“He always said, ‘I’m not a left-back’, and I told him ‘wait and see’,” said Berner, who is now the under-18s coach with FC Zurich.

“I said that too when I was a striker up until the age of 18. Then I became a winger and then a left-back.

“As long as I could have a career out of football, I would play wherever I could. The most important thing is being on the pitch in the first team.

“His development has shot straight up this season. He has become so strong. “He was always physically a top young player but now he is a very important young player with City.

“When you can play in different positions, the better it is, it’s as simple as that.

“You need the right attitude as a young player and he had that right from the beginning.

“People forget he had a tough injury when he was in the under-18s, so just being on the pitch meant everything to him.

“For him, it is about just keeping developing. He needs to find out where he wants to play, that is the most important thing, and then have a chat with the gaffer.

“But he is still far too young to say he wants to play in this position or that.

“He still has one or two years to find his position before that happens, but he has a great future wherever he plays.”

Liam Moore is another young player who has come through the City ranks and Berner has been equally impressed by his rise.

“He had a great first season in the Championship and was living the dream, and now getting promoted to the Premier League, what an amazing achievement for him. “I remember he was always a very focused young player and you could see in his eyes he wanted to be a professional player and play for the club.

“You may get a few extra per cent out of a player when his heart is connected to the club.”