Kalas signed!

[Shane 2,275]

Premier League champions Chelsea have signed teenage defender Tomas Kalas from Czech Republic side Sigma Olomouc.

The 17-year-old defender will not be joining the club for a further year as he will return to the Andruv Stadium in Olomouc on a year-long loan deal.

The youngster has been a target for many top European clubs, but Carlo Ancelotti's Stamford Bridge club moved quickly to land the talented Czech star.

Financial details of the deal have not been disclosed, although reports claim that Olomouc could earn in the region of £5million from the sale of the player.

Chelsea Academy boss Neil Bath said: "Tomas has signed, but will spend the first year on loan at his club, Sigma Olomouc, in the Czech Republic.

"He is now going into the Under 18s, and made his first-team debut last season. Very athletic and quick, he is a very good one-on-one defender and comfortable on the ball.

"We feel there is a lot of potential in the player, and we feel at the minute it is the right time to get him, but it would be good for him to stay there and get first-team experience, and we look forward to him joining us next year.

"Obviously we will stay in touch and he will come across here when appropriate. He is a right-sided centre-half who can play right-back.

[Banned member 97]

£5million + 1 year loan back for a 17 years old lad ......... he must be damn good .... and if anything else i would say a club who pays that amount for a 17 years old kid must not say that 40 million is too much for aguero or that 20 or 25 million is a lot for hamsik or shweinstiger ..... anyway i hope to see some transfer activity other than 17 year old kids and no more 30 years old benayouns please as well ..... what's wrong with players between 22 and 26 .... they are young and a little bit experienced ......

Edited July 8, 2010 by kakuta10

[Luke 60]

I know nothing of this lad, but to pay £5m for a 17 year old, he must have something about him.

[caesarblues 51]

finally got his pic

[Kostas 1,468]

People should look in the Transfer Talk section more often

[TrueChelseaBlue 105]

+1

We signed this kid a few weeks ago in actual fact.

He's a very impressive player, lets hope he lives up to the hype surounding this kid.

[Rubber bullets 1,183]

He better be good if we bought him for 5 MILLION at only 17 years of age.

[Duppy Conqueror 1,494]

New Chelsea signing Tomas Kalas has revealed he turned down moves to Arsenal and Germany in favour of the Blues.

The 17-year-old defender has reportedly penned a contract at Stamford Bridge until 2016, in a deal from Czech side Sigma Olomouc thought to be worth in the region of £5million.

Kalas has only made one appearance in the Czech top-flight so far, but the blues have seen enough in him to offer him a long-term deal, although he will return to Olomouc on loan next season.

The youngster reveals he turned down moves to the Gunners, as well as German sides Bayer Leverkusen and Hoffenheim and instead opted on a switch to Chelsea.

"There were rumours flying around already during the spring, but at that time there were more clubs around me," he told iDnes.cz.

"It became more specific only after the U-17 European Championship in Liechtenstein in May. Chelsea scouts were present there.

"Then I, my dad and Olomouc were proposed a specific offer. But Mr (Frank, sporting director) Arnesen told me I had been on the list already before the Euro and they had been following me for two years."

On who else was interested in him, Kalas added: "Bayer Leverkusen and Hoffenheim from the Bundesliga and apart from Chelsea also Arsenal.

"I have been to both German clubs and also Arsenal, but the best impression was left on me by Chelsea.

"People say that Arsenal are famous for their academy, but from what I could see during my days at Chelsea, that really impressed me.

"Even my dad thought of Chelsea as the best option. Moreover, I have been a Chelsea fan since I was a little kid.

"I am convinced I have made the right decision by joining Chelsea. After all, by this I am making my dream come true."

* from SkySports website*

[Manuf 1,448]

It's funny that almost every youth player that comes to us says he has been Chelsea fan

[Duppy Conqueror 1,494]

well i think this site is evidence that the clubs old catchment area for fans has stretched beyond the traditional West and South London areas in recent years.

[caesarblues 51]

love the shoes

[EskWeston 696]

From what i have read i thought he was a centre back, which we are not exactly short of. But being given number 2 may mean he is a right back which would be good as we only have Billy Clifford coming through as a talented right back. This time next year we can look forward to seeing something of him in a Chelsea shirt.

[Kostas 1,468]

What's with the 2 on his shirt?Isn't Ivanovic our #2?

From what i have read i thought he was a centre back, which we are not exactly short of. But being given number 2 may mean he is a right back which would be good as we only have Billy Clifford coming through as a talented right back. This time next year we can look forward to seeing something of him in a Chelsea shirt.

According to BBC he's a right-sided centre-half who can play right-back (Source)

[Blueboy 14]

Looks promising. Hope he can cope with the pressure of his transfer fee of 5 million . People will expect big things from him because of that.

[Gianfranco_Z 202]

That's Morten Gamst Pedersen! Chelsea have been done!

[Milan 17,878]

He comes from my country however I've never heard of him so don't ask me about him lol.

[LDN Blue 7,903]

A bit of news on this guy..

For Tomáš Kalas, there is an immediate change of scenery. He will now join up with Chelsea six months earlier than originally planned, and instead of going back to the Czech Republic for the resumption of their domestic league, he will stay in England, where he has spent the winter break.

Having spent the two weeks training with Steve Holland’s reserve side, and brief involvement with the first team, the young defender feels confident that now is the right time to make the move, and after a discussion with Frank Arnesen, the decision was made to strike a deal with Sigma to finalise the advancement of the transfer this month.

[Madmax 9,219]

A bit of news on this guy.

Him in, Bruma out (on loan)?