Jonny Evans says Leicester's Wesley Fofana can become 'one of best centre-backs in the world'

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Wesley Fofana of Leicester City marks Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang of ArsenalImage source, Getty Images
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Evans singled out Fofana's performance against Arsenal this season as a highlight for the young defender

Leicester City's Jonny Evans says 19-year-old team-mate Wesley Fofana has all the attributes to become a world-class defender.

The Foxes signed the French teenager from Saint-Etienne on a five-year-contract for an undisclosed fee.

"He can probably go on and become one of the best centre-backs in the world," Evans told BBC Radio 5 Live.

"Sometimes you forget how young he is. He's got a real athleticism and maturity about him."

Fofana has impressed as part of Leicester's defensive unit this season, helping the club to a run of six successive wins and four clean sheets before the international break.

"You can tell he's going to be a top-class player," Evans added. "He's got all the attributes: comfortable on the ball, aggressive in his defending.

"He's confident and seems sure of himself and I think when you see the games that he has come in, he's played with a real maturity.

"I don't think he's going to be one to hide from certain situations, he'll take every challenge on. It looks like he really enjoys that challenge and you can see that by his aggression on the pitch."

Fofana's calm display in keeping Arsenal's £56m forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang quiet during Leicester's win at Emirates Stadium in October was a particular highlight for former Manchester United defender Evans.

"He probably hadn't played in that formation and then he had to come up against one of the best strikers in the Premier League in Aubameyang," the 32-year-old Northern Ireland international said.

"The way he dealt with him, he showed a real athleticism to be able to compete with a player of that calibre, he was so confident. I thought he was outstanding that night."

Leicester travel to Sheffield United on Sunday looking for their first Premier League win after successive defeats by Liverpool and Fulham.