Chelsea defender wants to stay with Fulham

Despite several good loans and a heroic turn at Anfield in that famous 2-0 win in 2014, Czech defender Tomáš Kalas never quite got the chance to establish himself in the Chelsea first-team. And while he retains a lofty long-term goal to prove his quality to Chelsea, now, just ten days short of his 24th birthday, he is done with the moving circus of the loan warrior life.

"Obviously I'd love to play for Chelsea, but we know how difficult it is to get there. But I prefer to prove myself, and prove to everyone, that I can play at a good level for a certain amount of games to go higher and get into Chelsea's team."

Comfortable at both center back and right back, Kalas has spent this season on loan at nextdoor neighbors Fulham, playing a key role (alongside fellow loanee Lucas Piazon) in the Cottagers’ playoff push and a chance at an unlikely promotion back to the Premier League. Whether they’re successful in that aim or not, Kalas, who also helped Middlesbrough achieve similar success last season, would like few things more than to stay and continue playing regular minutes.

"We're in touch with Fulham and Chelsea and we're sorting out my situation for next season. Getting promoted would help, but anyway, everyone knows that I'd like to stay, not because I wouldn't like to play anywhere else but because I'm playing every game and that's all I need. I'm living in an area I know, so right now it's perfect scenario for me to stay."

-Tomáš Kalas; source: BBC

Of course, all of this also depends on the two teams, but according to the Daily Star, talks over a permanent transfer are now underway.

With only one year left on his current contract, Chelsea are unlikely to collect vast sums in terms of a transfer fee for Kalas, fro whom we paid around £5m in 2010. All the more reason then to insert a buy-back clause just in case he becomes the next former player we decide to bring back in the future.