Should Leeds United consider Tomas Kalas if Kyle Bartley fails to return to Elland Road?
Regardless of who takes the reins at Leeds United this summer, centre-backs should be on the agenda.
The Whites, who are linked with Marcelo Bielsa and Steve Bruce, must bolster their defence to have any chance of winning promotion to the Premier League next season.
A move for Kyle Bartley has been touted [Yorkshire Evening Post], and it would no doubt delight Leeds fans but, failing that, United should take a look at Tomas Kalas.
The Chelsea-owned centre-back has just helped Fulham to Premier League promotion, having done the same with Middlesbrough in 2016 but, with the Cottagers interested in Calum Chambers [Sky Sports], Kalas might not be returning to Slavisa Jokanovic’s side come September.
At 25, Kalas, valued at around £4.5 million according to Transfermarkt, is young enough to have a very good career at Elland Road, and old enough to know his way around the Championship, having well over 100 appearances in England’s second tier under his belt already.
That experience, combined with an obvious nous in the Championship, could serve Leeds very well if Director of Football Victor Orta goes for him.
Obviously Bartley will be the priority, and he should be considering how well the Swansea City star looked during the 2016-17 campaign, but Kalas is a very decent back-up option and one that United should seriously consider.
If returning to the Premier League is the ambition, this lad, praised by Jose Mourinho in 2014 following a brilliant debut against Liverpool [Goal.com], knows the course better than most.
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