Claudio Ranieri will hope to kick off his reign as Fulham manager with a win against Southampton at the weekend.

The Cottagers are bottom of the Premier League following a slow start under Slavisa Jokanovic, and Ranieri is the man the Fulham board believe can steer them to safety. Fulham have been conceding goals at an alarming rate and solving their defensive issues will definitely be a priority for the former Leicester boss. Given the quality of Fulham’s squad, fans will be hopeful of improved performances under the Premier League winner.

The January transfer window is less than two months away, and Ranieri will be given his first opportunity to tailor the squad to his needs. In order to stop leaking goals, the ex-Chelsea boss should be targeting defensive reinforcements.

One man who he could lure to Craven Cottage is Manchester United veteran – Antonio Valencia. Valued at £7.2m by Transfermarkt, the Ecuador international has been a key player for the Red Devils for a number of years after finding a home at right-back. However, the ex-Wigan man has made just four appearances in the Premier League so far and has less than one year remaining on his contract. The defender has also stated his intention to stay in England if United aren’t willing to extend his stay at the club.

Valencia has bags of Premier League and European experience which would prove vital in the long-term as Fulham bid for survival. His time with Wigan will also help the defender settle into life under Ranieri as fast as possible. The 33-year-old may be approaching the end of his career, but he still has a few years left at the highest level and bringing him to London wouldn’t break the bank.

Landing Valencia in January could prove to be a masterstroke from the former Inter Milan boss.

Fulham fans, thoughts?