Slavisa Jokanovic sacked: Fulham appoint Claudio Ranieri as new manager

Jokanovic leaves the Cottagers bottom of the Premier League table who are without a win in nine games

Fulham have sacked Slavisa Jokanovic and appointed Claudio Ranieri as their new manager on a "multi-year" contract.

The Cottagers are bottom of the Premier League table and are without a win in nine games after the defeat at Liverpool last weekend. They have conceded 31 goals in 12 games, a league-leading low.

Jokanovic, who guided the west London side to promotion via the Championship play-offs last term, is replaced by Ranieri who returns to the English top flight for the first time since being sacked by Leicester in February 2017, nine months after famously winning the title with the Foxes.

“It is an honour to accept Mr. Khan’s invitation and opportunity to lead Fulham, a fantastic club with tradition and history. The objective at Fulham should never be to merely survive in the Premier League," the Italian said upon his surprise appointment.

"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.”

Owner Shahid Khan admits the decision to remove Jokanovic was a tough one but backed Ranieri as a "risk-free" replacement.

“I wasn’t anticipating having to make this announcement related to Slavisa and wish the circumstances were such that I didn’t have to, but our path this season has led me to make what I know is the correct decision, at the right time, for our players, the club and our supporters.

"Slavisa will always have my appreciation and respect for everything he did to return Fulham to top-flight football. I am hoping everyone in the Fulham family shares my heartfelt sentiments for Slavisa and joins me in wishing him success and good fortune, wherever his next stop may be.

Ranieri returns to the English game after a spell in France (Getty)

“Making a change without having the right answer or succession plan was not an option, so having someone of Claudio’s calibre ready to accept our challenge was comforting but, most of all, essential.

"Claudio is risk-free and ready-made for the Premier League, and particularly so for what we need at this moment at Fulham. His recent body of work with Leicester City is literally legendary, and then you look at Claudio’s experience with Chelsea and big clubs throughout Europe, and it’s pretty evident we are welcoming an extraordinary football man to Fulham Football Club.”

Ranieri's first game in charge will be against Southampton at Craven Cottage before back-to-back meetings with former clubs Chelsea and Leicester.