Saturday 22 December 2018 10:51, UK
Tom Cairney says Fulham should not be bottom of the Premier League after spending over £100m on "quality" players.
The newly-promoted Whites made 12 new additions in the summer but currently have the worst defensive record in the division, despite signing five defenders, with a minus-24 goal difference.
Claudio Ranieri has since succeeded the sacked Slavisa Jokanovic as manager and Sky Sports News understands Chelsea's Gary Cahill and Bournemouth's Lys Mousset are targets as Fulham look to sign another new centre-back and striker in January.
"We spent around £100m - a record amount for a newly-promoted team," Cairney told the Daily Mail. "The owners have backed us, and with the quality we have in the squad we shouldn't be where we are.
"When you bring a lot of new players in, that is the hardest thing; getting everyone playing together. The gaffer knows that. He took all the players and staff for an Italian on Wednesday - and now it is about building something.
"We simply have to keep clean sheets because we have conceded a lot of goals. We need to improve defensively."
Fulham travel to Newcastle on Saturday looking for only their third win in 18 Premier League games. The west London club are three points off safety and seven behind the Magpies in 14th.