ALEX McLeish has insisted Super Eagles midfielder, Wilfred Ndidi needs time at Leicester City but can eventually replace N'Golo Kante.
The former Scotland boss signed the Nigerian for just £70,000 while Genk manager two years ago and the 20-year-old joined the Foxes for £15million on Thursday.
He is expected to fill the void left by Kante who joined Chelsea for £32million in the summer having helped the club win a shock Premier League title last season.
Leicester have missed the midfielder since his Stamford Bridge switch and are 14th in the table having failed to recreate last season's form.
Ndidi became the Foxes' first signing of the transfer window and McLeish, who worked with him in 2014-15, expects him to flourish given time.
McLeish told Press Association Sport:"Let's not say he's the new Kante but he has that potential. He can scuttle from one man to another and training would help him to do a similar role to Kante.
"Putting pressure on him and saying he's the new Kante immediately would be a big ask. (Claudio) Ranieri is a wise old owl, he has great experience and he will definitely know the way to handle the kid.
"I'm not saying he's the finished article. The Premier League is brutal and will be a test for him, if things are not going for him how will he handle it mentally? These are things that are yet to be learned."
The Nigerian had his training with the Foxes yesterday after he was officially unveiled by the club.
