Fulham not distracted by Kamara suspension – Ranieri

The French striker has been told to stay away from the club, yet the Cottagers boss insists his side will not lose their focus.

Claudio Ranieri is waiting on the outcome of a club investigation regarding Aboubakar Kamara, but he is confident Fulham will not be distracted.

Kamara was reportedly arrested following a training ground incident last week and the club have suspended the former Amiens forward.

Kamara will miss Tuesday’s match against Brighton and Hove Albion, yet Ranieri does not believe the off-field drama will negatively impact his side.

“I don’t know what happened here, there is a club investigation,” he told a news conference. “I am waiting.

“If he comes back, there is no problem. For the team, there is no problem. It has had no influence, everybody is working well. It’s no problem.”

Asked whether Kamara is involved with the first team, Ranieri replied: “At this moment, no. He’s suspended from the club, but I am waiting.”

The French striker was also involved in a furious on-pitch bust-up with fellow striker Aleksandar Mitrovic during a game against Huddersfield last month.

When the Cottagers won a penalty, Kamara insisted on taking the spot-kick ahead of regular taker Mitrovic, much to the Serbian’s anger.

Kamara would go on to see his penalty saved by Huddersfield goalkeeper Jonas Lossl, though Mitrovic would spare his blushes by scoring a stoppage-time winner.

Meanwhile, Ranieri is hopeful defender Alfie Mawson will be fit before the end of the season.

The 25-year-old, who joined from Swansea last summer, has undergone surgery on a knee injury but Ranieri is still hopeful the defender will play a key role in Fulham’s survival bid.

“Mawson will have a check in six weeks,” the manager said. “He’s not finished for the season, I wait for him to be ready at the end of the season.

“We’ll check on his surgery in six weeks. Then we can restart with him for the last month. The last five matches I think he’ll be ready.”

Fulham are currently second-bottom in the Premier League and seven points from safety going into Tuesday’s game at Craven Cottage.

Ranieri has struggled to revive the club’s fortunes since taking over from Slavisa Jokanovic in November, winning just two of his 12 games in charge in all competitions.

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