The winger has been in talks with the club over a new deal with the Foxes having rejected bids from Bournemouth and Crystal Palace over the summer.

Gray is set to start Tuesday's Carabao Cup game against Liverpool at the King Power Stadium having struggled for consistency since joining from Birmingham for £3.5 million in 2016.

He has scored three goals in all competitions -- making just 10 league starts -- and his end product has been criticised.

But, ahead of his new deal, Shakespeare believes Gray should look to Real Madrid's Ronaldo, who took time to settle at Manchester United, for comfort.

He said: "With run of games and experience, that will come. Remember Cristiano Ronaldo? When he first came here [in 2003], people used to criticise him for the same things.

"If the opposition put two defenders against you and you're trying to beat them all the time, then you have to fins another solution. That's what football is all about, finding the right solution for that given moment.

"The contract is in the final instalments, his advisers are talking with our director of football and I'm excepting that to be completed sooner rather than later.

"I think it's important we show a statement of intent that we intend to keep all our players.

"It's well documented we had bids for Demarai. We didn't want to sell him, we want to build the club with players of his ilk.

"He's shown a real desire now to want to stay and progress his career with this club. It's important we now tie that one up and concentrate purely on his football."