Fulham target Liverpool defender Joel Matip

Bengaluru, November 16: Liverpool defender Joel Matip is reportedly being chased by early relegation candidates Fulham as they look to revive themselves under their newly-appointed manager Claudio Ranieri.

The Cameroon international has struggled for opportunities this season after Joe Gomez emerged as Virgil van Dijk’s first-choice partner. Dejan Lovren also looks to be ahead of him in the pecking order which has alerted his suitors.

Matip has started only once in the Premier League this term and is set to enter the final 18 months of his Anfield contract. And reports from Turkey claim new Cottagers boss Claudio Ranieri will rival European giants Fenerbahce for his signature.

If the former Schalke man quits Merseyside in January, Liverpool are sure to move for an immediate replacement as that would leave them with just three senior players who can play at the heart of the defence.

Reports in England claim that Klopp is already weighing up a move for Ajax youngster Matthijs de Ligt.

The Netherlands international is rated as one of Europe’s top prodigies, and international teammate Van Dijk reckons he’d be a perfect fit for Klopp’s title chasers.

Van Dijk said: “He is already very far, especially at that age. A good defender, good boy, calm, knows what he wants and hopefully he makes the right choice in his next step.

“He will be on the list, because they have good enough scouts at the club. If they need my opinion at Liverpool, I’ll give it.”

With Ranieri now on their books, Fulham will hope to revive their season.

Despite spending over a 100 million last summer, the Cottagers have struggled big time this campaign and the fans would hope that it will change under Ranieri who won the Premier League remarkably with Leicester City just a few years ago.