Chelsea's Tomas Kalas open to permanent Middlesbrough move

Tomas Kalas has revealed that he would be open to joining Middlesbrough on a permanent contract.

The 23-year-old has spent the last 16 months on loan at newly-promoted Middlesbrough from Chelsea, where he signed a new three-year contract last summer.

As it stands, Kalas will return to Stamford Bridge for the 2016-17 campaign, but the Czech Republic international has insisted that he would seriously consider a permanent move to Aitor Karanka's side if the opportunity arose.

"I don't know how many games I've played since I came - probably around 40, which is not bad in one and a half years," Kalas told the Evening Gazette.

"That's why I came here, to play games and hopefully I'll keep playing next season - maybe here. If I could get the deal [to move to Boro permanently], I would really think about it. Yes, why not?"

Centre-back Kalas joined Chelsea from Signa Olomouc in 2010, but has only ever made two Premier League appearances for the former English champions.