The man on a season-long loan from Lens has already staked a claim for a key midfield role and Sam Allardyce has warned Ivan Campo he could face stiff competition from the Senegal international, less than three months after he arrived on the Reebok scene.

The Bolton boss admits he knew little about the 27-year-old African when he first took him on trial on the recommendation of his scouts, who saw him playing on loan with the relegated French side, Istres, last season. But he has been pleasantly surprised by the manner and the speed with which he has adapted to English football.

"He has massive attributes for the Premiership," the manager said. "His size, physical presence, aerial ability and playing ability look a lot better than I expected when I first signed him.

"He has a massive presence and he shows a nice understanding of the position."

That position - the anchor role in midfield - is the one Campo once dominated, but which, in recent months, has seen him ousted, first by his fellow Spaniard Fernando Hierro, and more recently by Gary Speed.

Now he faces a fresh challenge, although Fayes progress has been temporarily held up by the groin injury that forced him to pull out of Sundays 1-0 win at Manchester City at half-time.

"His defensive work in the first half meant Manchester City found it hugely difficult and then he used the ball nice and quickly, very rarely giving it away," Allardyce added.

"And, if I have to point some criticism at Ivan, thats the area he falls down in sometimes. He does the sweeping in front of the back four well, he does the heading out well, but he overspends time on the ball on too many occasions and people know that throughout the Premiership now, and they start nicking a ball or two off him and that puts the oppostition in the ascendancy."

"Abdoulaye Faye didnt do that in the first half on Sunday. Manchester City players couldnt get near to him and he kept the flow of our attack going exceptionally well - and his defensive side of the game is very good."

Faye, who spent more than a month on trial with Wanderers while waiting for his loan deal to be agreed, has made just as big an impression on his Reebok team-mates.

Speed, who captained Wanderers at City in the absence of the injured Jay Jay Okocha and kept his cool to convert the last minute penalty that won the game, believes he could be a big influence this season.

"I cant speak too highly of Abdoulaye Faye," he said. "Every time hes come in hes looked superb.

"He just got a bit of a groin twinge on Sunday so the gaffer took no chances. But the way hes performed in pre-season and already this season, hes going to be a big player for us."