Why Fulham should arrest their fall by landing this 6ft 1in Bundesliga star in January

Why Fulham should go all out to sign Willi Orban in January

Basement club Fulham boast just 10 points from 18 games and have conceded in every game except one this season. The Cottagers are currently bottom of the Premier League following four years in the Championship and have conceded a league-high 42 goals.

Claudio Ranieri, who replaced Slavisa Jokanovic at Craven Cottage last month, has won just once in last five Premier League games but his team have conceded a whopping 11 goals. Fulham desperately need to start picking up points during the festive period of the season but first and foremost, a clean sheet is the need of the hour to kick-start their Premier League survival fight.

The Cottagers face Newcastle United, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Huddersfield Town and Arsenal in 11 days – a massive test Ranieri will look to pass with flying colours. But come January, the Italian tactician should bring in a central defender to strengthen his porous backline which has conceded goals at an alarming rate following their promotion to the top-flight.

That said, Fulham must target RB Leipzig’s defensive lynchpin, Willi Orban. The 26-year-old has been in very good form for an RB Leipzig team that’s in the fight for a top-four spot in the Bundesliga this season.

Standing tall at 6ft 1in, he has the ideal height for a central defender, which helps him stamp his authority in the air. The four-cap Hungary international is a defender with a sound technique, which allows him to run comfortably with the ball at his feet and pass it around to his teammates with ease.

The Kaiserslautern-born defender is a decent tackler and has the ability to cut out the attacks with crucial interceptions. Willi Orban has the tendency to move further up the pitch at times to cut the passing lanes, not allowing the opposition to play an incisive pass in the final third. He reads the game very well and due to his ball-playing abilities, the 26-year-old can initiate attacks from the back as well.

Ranieri has managed to bring back a bit of life to Craven Cottage, yet they still need a leader to help them out defensively. The likes of Alfie Mawson, Maxime Le Marchand and Calum Chambers have all failed to nail down a regular place in the team, leaving Fulham in shambles defensively and with the worst defensive record in the league.

Orban is experienced and skilled enough to repair the Cottagers’ vulnerable backline. Signing Orban would not only help Fulham obtain an experienced centre-back but also a leader that can save the West London club’s ship from sinking.

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Hence, Ranieri must do everything in his powers to get a deal done for the Hungary international in January.