Fulham appoint Claudio Ranieri as manager

Fulham have appointed former Leicester City manager Claudio Ranieri as their new manager after sensationally sacking former manager, Slavisa Jokanovic.

Jokanovic becomes the first Premier League managerial casualty of the season after six successive defeats left Fulham bottom of the table, three points adrift of safety.

Ranieri, who led Leicester to the Premier League title in 2016, has been without a job since leaving Nantes at the end of last season. 

His first match in charge will be against Southampton at Craven Cottage on November 24. 

The west London club have announced the Italian has been handed a 'multi-year' contract with the objective of leading Fulham away from relegation danger in their first season back in the top-flight since 2014. 

Fulham chairman Shahid Khan has now decided to act with the side having taken just five points from 12 matches.

It is an honour to accept Mr. Khan’s invitation and opportunity to lead Fulham, a fantastic club with tradition and history, Ranieri told the club's website.

The objective at Fulham should never be to merely survive in the Premier League. We must at all times be a difficult opponent and should expect to succeed. This Fulham squad has exceptional talent that is contrary to its position in the table.

I know this team is very capable of better performances, which we will work on straight away as we prepare for Southampton at the Cottage, he added.

Ranieri was a surprise appointment by late Leicester chairman Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha in July 2015 following the dismissal of Nigel Pearson, but the Italian miraculously guided the Foxes to the Premier League title in his first season. 

The 67-year-old was sacked at the King Power Stadium just nine months after the 5,000-1 success story in February 2017 before he took over the reins at Ligue 1 Nantes in June later that year.