Birmingham City boss Alex McLeish says new signing Michel will need time to settle into the Premiership football.

Michel watched Birmingham earn a creditable 1-1 draw with Barclays Premier League champions Manchester United on Saturday to stretch their unbeaten league run to a club record 12 games.

McLeish is adamant Michel will bring some composure and additional quality to the City squad.

But he accepts Michel will have to become accustomed to the physical side of the game and the total commitment for the cause evident in the current Blues squad.

The former Scotland boss said: "What are the qualities of Michel? He takes the ball, he is unfazed with the ball at his feet, he can make passes, and I want that kind of quality here.

"But Michel will have watched that game with United and he will see the other qualities that you need in the Premier League - the physical side of it, getting close to people, making tackles.

"He will be as amazed as Mikel Arteta was when I signed him at Rangers.

"He was stunned when players made a tackle and kicked it into row Z and took the man, ball, everything that the fans went delirious.

"In Spain that doesn't happen. That is seen as Neanderthal. Michel will learn that side of things and will bring a composure and bit of quality to the squad.

"He is a midfielder in the same mould of Barry Ferguson."