Leicester City news: Daniel Amartey can follow in N'Golo Kante's footsteps, says team-mate Danny Simpson

The 21-year-old joined the Premier League champions from Copenhagen in January for a fee believed to be in the region of £5.5m

N'Golo Kante's performances for Leicester kept Daniel Amartey out of the team last season (Getty)

Leicester City’s versatile midfielder Daniel Amartey can fill the void left by N’Golo Kante, who joined Chelsea for £32m this summer, according to his team-mate Danny Simpson.

The 21-year-old signed for the Premier League champions from Copenhagen in January for a fee believed to be in the region of £5.5m and delivered an assured performance in the 2-1 success against Swansea City before the international break.

Claudio Ranieri, the Leicester manager, has struggled to settle on a long-term heir to Kante’s place in the centre of midfield this season, experimenting with both Andy King and Nampalys Mendy in that position against Hull City and Arsenal respectively.

But it is Amartey who has staked out the tallest claim to follow in Kante’s footsteps after performing admirably in the role for the Foxes as they picked up their first league victory of the season last weekend.

Simpson, who recently agreed terms on a new three-year contract at the King Power Stadium, told the Leicester Mercury: “He was excellent last week. That is the thing with our squad. He has been patient. Every day he gives 100 per cent in training.

“He is a good lad to have around. He is always smiling and always joking with everyone. He has always said he wants to play centre midfield and was deservedly the man-of-the-match. He was fantastic and he has given us all a lift.”

The 29-year-old added: “If he performs like that every week then yes [he can follow Kante]. We know how good Kante was but I am really happy for him because he waited so patiently and the way he slotted in against Swansea, it looked he had been playing there for ages for Leicester.”