Premier League giants Chelsea loaned Tomas Kalas out to Bristol City but it seems he was holding out for a return to Championship pacesetters Boro.
Before the transfer window slammed shut, Chelsea defender Tomas Kalas was loaned to his third different Championship club since 2015.
The giant Czech defender earned promotion to the Premier League with Middlesbrough in 2016 and Fulham in May and will now be hoping to achieve the feat for a third time at Lee Johnson’s Bristol City.
But, given the option, Kalas might have been wearing the red of Boro rather than the red of The Robins.
“I was interested in Middlesbrough where I could go back,” the 25-year-old said, speaking to Czech publication Olomoucky.
“That would have been nice because I have beautiful memories of the city. A coach I disagreed with at the time is not there anymore (so) it would be nice to play there again.”
The report, however, suggests that Boro manager Tony Pulis was planning on using Kalas at right-back as an understudy to Ryan Shotton. But the 14-cap Czech Republic international wanted to play regular first-team football in his favoured centre-half position.
So far, both of his Championship starts for Bristol City, 1-0 and 4-1 wins against Swansea and Blackburn, have been in the centre of defence. So maybe Kalas is better off at Ashton Gate than at the Riverside.
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