"Leicester probably got the best of him or saw the best of him when they were in the Premier League because they were so low under Ruud Van Nistelrooy," he said, speaking to the MEN.

"He'd been training with the first team for a number of weeks and then came into the squad, got his debut at 15 and just looked like a player who wasn't fazed by what he was coming up against. I think his debut against Newcastle, he gave [Tino] Livramento a tough time and that got everyone excited and during the back end of the Premier League season, he did look like he'd been playing in the Premier League for a number of years.

"He's very well rated in the England set-up as well. He’s been pushed through the youth ranks and even when he was 15, 16, was featuring for the U18s."

As the Foxes struggled in the second tier last season, Monga's form suffered too. He scored just once, against Preston North End, in the second match of the campaign. Gary Rowett's arrival at the King Power Stadium didn't help either, with the experienced EFL manager opting against playing him during a relegation scrap.

"He never downed tools," Holland said. "There's a lot of players who did towards the end of last year and he's obviously only 17. I don’t think any of the fans are going to be against him leaving and what probably rounded it off perfectly, was his little farewell message to fans, as a 17-year-old, which I thought was quite mature and quite nice to read."

Like Elliot Anderson, at least in the early stages, Monga's price tag will loom large over him. But Holland believes the teenager has already shown why he is worth that money.

"There was the real threat that when Arsenal were getting linked with him in June, before the professional contract came into place, that they were going to lose him for next to nothing," he added. "[That fear] was because he's a generational talent, and if Leicester were going to lose him for £1m, it would have been a disaster.

"Monga’s strength was his willingness, desire and close to an obsession to, once he gets the ball, drive either inwards but towards goal, or just down the wing and beat his man.

"To caveat that, and probably the downfall that he's had, but will probably come out of his game when he's training with better coaches, is that there are times he beats a man and he wouldn't then drive the ball with pace. He'd be a bit laid back and that allows the defender to come back and then you have to beat him again. But because he was so good, he could do that. Hhis decision making at times probably let him down in the senior games whereas you’d and see him for the U21s, he'd beat the man once or twice and it would be no trouble for him.

"His game's all around dribbling. He's very, very similar, in terms of City players, to Savinho. He’s very front-footed, rapid without the ball, but with the ball, he's not as fast. When he's on the ball, he's very much focussed towards dribbling and beating his man. Once he gets the decision making right, I think he'll be a nightmare to deal with because he's so quick footed and agile.

"He's so small, yet somehow he's shrugging off defenders in the Premier League and in the Championship. Compared to his size, that was impressive. There's definitely so much potential, but there's also so much for him to learn and you're going to do that at City."

Monga will spend time with the City first team immediately, joining them for the pre-season tour of Asia. Whether he is then loaned out or stays with the Blues, remains to be seen. Holland sees no benefit to sending Monga to the Elite Development Squad (EDS) next season, though.

He added: "I think, if Monga's not going to play much for the first team, putting him in the EDS would not be the right thing to do. I think he's more than good enough to go to a Championship club and start.

"I think he could do a job in a Man City squad anyway as someone who comes off the bench. The problem is, if they're playing Real Madrid in the Champions League and someone like [Phil] Foden or [Omar] Marmoosh or whoever starts out wide, do you really turn to a 17 year old to do something? I'm not sure.

"It's probably a difficult one for the club and player to agree on, but he's obviously going to be training with world class players - that's only going to benefit him."