Fulham are planning a raid for a left-winger to put paid to the one place that's up for grabs - with the Whites ready to ask £4million Joe Ledley to call the spot his own, writes Paul Warburton.

Boss Roy Hodgson admitted he intends to go shopping in the January sales, with a broad hint he intends to strengthen the left side of his team.

Ledley was on Fulham's radar last season, but the Cardiff City international stayed at Ninian Park despite a posse of clubs trailing the 21-year-old, who already has 24 Wales caps to his name.

But although Hodgson has tried both Zoltan Gera and Clint Dempsey on the left, as well as taking Julian Gray on loan from Coventry, it's the only position to switch over the last month for a team that's been all but able to select itself since the start of the season.

Hodgson said: "We're not ruling out moves because the squad is small. And there are definite areas within the squad where we are short of players and cover players.

"What we've got is good enough - and if we can improve on that we'll definitely do so."