Loanee Review: Tomas Kalas

To round up the 2012-13 youth football season at Chelsea, we’re reviewing every single one of the Chelsea youngsters currently on the books who have spent time out on loan during the campaign. Here, we focus on Tomas Kalas.

Club: Vitesse Arnhem (Netherlands)
Appearances: 34 (1 goal)

The Story
Tomas spent a second successive season at Vitesse Arnhem, the most visual of Chelsea’s affiliates, and whilst he made it clear that he’s outgrown the Eredivisie, he didn’t quite have the same impact nor display the sparkling ability as he did in 2011-12.

A large part of the reason behind the dip – if you can call it that – was the curious decision to move him out of the centre of defence and into the right back slot. It’s not that he can’t play there – he has done before at various times, and possesses the requisite athleticism and technical ability to succeed there – but having been so impressive at such a young age in a more demanding position, it didn’t made a great deal of sense.

Vitesse boss Fred Rutten will point to the club’s improvement in league standing as a result of his changes but truthfully, it was far more to do with their attacking players – especially Wilfried Bony – than any defensive security.

Regardless of his ups and downs, Kalas also made his senior debut for the Czech Republic national team during 12-13, and will doubtless make many more appearances going forward.

The Future
With a veritable logjam of players ahead of him in his two positions at Stamford Bridge, loandom beckons once again for Tomas next season. He has spoken in dispatches of a potential spell in the Bundesliga, and that would be a logical step for him to take. There has also been some talk of a move to West Bromwich Albion, where he would link up with Steve Clarke, a former Chelsea defender in his own right, and one who helped bring Romelu Lukaku on so well recently.

He will have no shortage of suitors, and whichever club ends up procuring his services will have themselves a very handy player indeed.