Fulham unlikely to sign Gary Cahill from Chelsea amid disagreement over contract length

Fulham look unlikely to sign Gary Cahill this month having reached stalemate in discussions with the centre-back, Sky Sports News understands.

The Whites have agreed a deal with Chelsea to buy Cahill out of the final six months of his contract and would like him to sign a deal until the end of the season.

But the 33-year-old England defender is understood to want to commit to a longer-term contract at whichever is his next club after leaving Stamford Bridge.

On Friday, Fulham boss Claudio Ranieri cast doubt over Cahill's willingness to join their relegation fight, which was intensified by a bitter late defeat at home to Tottenham on Sunday.

2:59 Highlights from Tottenham's 2-1 win over Fulham in the Premier League Highlights from Tottenham's 2-1 win over Fulham in the Premier League

Ranieri said: "He is a very important player and, for us, it would be fantastic. But I don't know if he wants to come and fight with us."

Sky Sports News exclusively revealed in December that Fulham had made Cahill their top January transfer target.

Ranieri has urged Fulham to sign players with Premier League experience this month as he fights to overturn what has become a seven-point gap to safety.

Sky Sports News understands they would also like to strengthen at right-back while finding a new loan club for Manchester United's Timothy Fosu-Mensah, who has struggled to make an impact in the first half of his season-long stay at Craven Cottage.