The Italian has recently taken charge of his first game since being appointed as the new manager at Craven Cottage, guiding his new charges to a thrilling 3-2 win over fellow Premier League strugglers Southampton on Saturday.
Massive performance. Massive win.
— Fulham Football Club (@FulhamFC) November 24, 2018
Welcome to the Claudio Ranieri era! #FULSOU #COYW pic.twitter.com/9QTpJ64uJf
Whilst the performance and result were clear improvements on previous outings for the Cottagers, Ranieri has already set his sights on potential transfer targets to reinforce his Fulham side. According to the Sunday Mirror, via HITC, Leicester’s Danny Simpson, Christian Fuchs and Shinji Okazaki are all on the agenda.
It comes as something of a surprise that Ranieri has been linked with a cluster of stars at the King Power Stadium, given that the Italian had previously insisted that he had no intentions to recruit any of his former players at Craven Cottage.
The report further adds Leicester persuasion to Ranieri’s suggested targets, with former Foxes star Robert Huth said to be another of the stars of the Italian coach’s former title-winning side at Leicester now under consideration at Fulham.
FULL-TIME Fulham 3-2 Southampton
— Premier League (@premierleague) November 24, 2018
What a start to Claudio Ranieri's reign at Fulham! His side fight back from 1-0 down to win 3-2 thanks to goals from Mitrovic (2) and Schurrle, helped by 2 assists from youngster Ryan Sessegnon...#PL #FULSOU pic.twitter.com/Az5c9GlR5B
Huth, along with right back Danny Simpson, striker Okazaki and left back Fuchs, were all mainstays in Ranieri’s Leicester side which stunned the Premier League with an incredible title triumph in 2015/16.
The current Leicester trio have all fallen out of favour under Claude Puel’s regime at the King Power, though, whilst veteran defender Huth is currently without a club.
Those circumstances could yet mean that, although Ranieri has previously ruled out any such raid for his former players, all of the suggested deals could certainly be feasible.
Mitrovic sold by 86,852
— Fantasy Premier League (@OfficialFPL) November 24, 2018
Schurrle sold by 22,816
Both score. The Claudio Ranieri effect...#FPL #FULSOU pic.twitter.com/7gYJ3NZbRR
Fulham’s defence has looked shaky at best this term, having conceded 33 goals in their first 13 Premier League outings this term, losing nine of those games. Leicester’s defensive duo Simpson and Fuchs, coupled with Huth, would add a great deal of experience to help steady the ship.
Meanwhile, having scored just 14 goals in the league so far this term, the addition of Okazaki would provide a recognised goal scorer who scored some crucial goals during Ranieri’s time at Leicester.
Fulham’s 3-2 win at home to Southampton on Saturday showed signs of improvement under Ranieri at Craven Cottage, though a west London derby clash away to Chelsea next weekend is set to provide a sterner test.
Source : 90min