Former Leicester City striker Tony Cottee has said that he is "astonished" by the club's appointment of Claudio Ranieri as their new manager.

The 63-year-old Italian was confirmed as Nigel Pearson's successor at the King Power Stadium on Monday, with the former Chelsea boss signing a three-year deal with the Foxes.

Cottee, who played for Leicester from 1997 to 2000, is not convinced that Ranieri is the right man for the job.

"I am astonished," Cottee told the Leicester Mercury. "It is a strange appointment. They have taken a massive risk getting rid of Nigel Pearson, who had done such a good job football-wise towards the end of last season.

"To appoint Ranieri now, bearing in mind where he has been the last 10 years or so, I think it is a huge, huge gamble. You can expect plenty of changes to the team – he wasn't known as the Tinkerman for nothing at Chelsea. He has managed in the Premier League before but when he did with Chelsea, he was working with players who were capable of winning the title. At Leicester, it is going to be a completely different ball-game.

"He is going to be dealing with good players but, let's be honest, Leicester have got a fight for survival on their hands. It is going to be different managing a team at the bottom of the Premier League than at the top. That is where he has got to hit the ground running and get some points on the board."

Ranieri has managed 11 different clubs during his 25-year coaching career.