Ranieri keen to keep Ulloa at Leicester

(Reuters) - Leicester City manager Claudio Ranieri has indicated that Leonardo Ulloa is likely to stay at the club until the end of the season, despite British media reports that the striker had submitted a transfer request this week. Ulloa has emerged as a target for Spanish side Alaves, but Ranieri said he was keen to keep the striker as he looks to steer the defending champions away from the relegation zone. "I feel Ulloa will stay with Leicester for the rest of the season. Both parties are still talking," Ranieri told a news conference on Friday. "I want two strikers with the same strengths, so I want to keep Ulloa and (Islam) Slimani." Ulloa has made 12 Premier League appearances this season, scoring once. Ranieri confirmed that Luis Hernandez was in talks with Malaga over a move to the La Liga club, adding that he would still be happy with the options at his disposal if the defender ended up leaving in January. "Hernandez has been given permission to talk terms with Malaga," Ranieri said. "We have options in defence, (Daniel) Amartey can play right back and centre back, and (Wilfred) Ndidi can play centre back. "If Leicester don't get more players I am happy." Leicester are 15th in the table, five points above the relegation zone ahead of Sunday's trip to Southampton. They are yet to win on their travels in the league this season. After their stunning run to the title last season, Ranieri said his team's only objective for the current campaign was to get to the safety of 40 points to ensure they are not relegated. "Sooner or later we will start to win away," the manager added. "Our goal is to get 40 points as soon as possible. Now we have two away matches and we will try to do our best. "Southampton are a good team. They keep the ball well and move it quickly. We need to concentrate and be aggressive." (Reporting by Simon Jennings in Bengaluru, editing by Ed Osmond)