Ranieri backs Leicester’s middle man Amartey

Filling the gaping hole in the centre of midfield left by N’Golo Kante was never going to be easy but Leicester City boss Claudio Ranieri believes 21-year-old Daniel Amartey is excelling in the Frenchman’s absence.

The Foxes managed to keep hold of Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez following their historic Premier League success last season, but midfield general Kante was the man who got away.

Up stepped the versatile Amartey – a January signing from FC Copenhagen – and though Ranieri has been at pains to stress he is not a clone of Kante, the Ghana international has proved a worthy partner for Danny Drinkwater so far.

 (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)

“I think Amartey has improved a lot, I’m very happy with him,” said Ranieri. “He has played so many matches on the flank in his previous team and sometimes as a centre back or central midfielder.

“I always feel his best position is as a central midfielder, but slowly, slowly, at 21 years-old it is not easy to take this position.”

The Foxes’ eight league points to date have come in front of their own fans and Ranieri – dubbed the ‘Tinkerman’ during his days at Chelsea – concedes he may have to perform some tactical reshuffling away from home.

“It depends how our midfielders play together because remember the other team play with three or four, depending on how they are used to playing,” added Ranieri. “We have only two.

“If the strikers don’t help Drinkwater and Amartey, if the wingers don’t close the space and go narrow then they always up against a lot of players.”