Hull sign defender Ranocchia on loan from Inter Milan

(Reuters) - Hull City have signed Italian defender Andrea Ranocchia on loan until the end of the season from Inter Milan, the English Premier League club said on Tuesday. Ranocchia, who has 21 caps for Italy, will ease the defensive problems at Hull who have been left short of options in after Curtis Davies injured his hamstring during Sunday's 4-1 FA Cup defeat at second-tier Fulham. The 28-year-old Ranocchia has played nine times for Inter this season and has fallen out of favour with new mana