Chelsea Starlet Tomas Kalas Close to Signing Contract with Bundesliga Side Cologne

Chelsea starlet Tomas Kalas is on the brink of signing for Bundesliga outfit Cologne on a two year loan deal.

The 21-year-old centre half was on the fringes of the Blues first team last season until he made his impressive first team debut against Liverpool at Anfield, where he seamlessly filled the void left by an injured John Terry.

However, that appearance on Merseyside could be his last in a blue shirt for some time after Cologne's sporting director Jorg Schmadtke confirmed the newly-promoted Bundesliga side were on the brink of securing a deal for the highly rated defender.

"It (a contract) is not signed yet, but I am assuming that he will come," Schmadtke said, Kicker report, who also suggest his loan spell will last two seasons but will have no option of a permanent transfer at the end of it.

The decision to send Kalas out on loan next season raises further questions over what Jose Mourinho's transfer plans are. The club paid £12.5m to sign Kurt Zouma from Saint Etienne in January before allowing the 19-year-old to remain at the club for the rest of the season. It remains to be seen whether the towering centre half will join up with his new teammates this summer however, as Chelsea continue to be linked with a lucrative offer for Porto star Eliaquim Mangala.

The highly rated 23-year-old has also been linked with a move to Manchester City but the France international has admitted he would prefer a move to the capital, should an offer be forthcoming.

"City or Chelsea? Chelsea because it is London," he said last month. "It is true that I love the Premier League because it is a spectacular championship. In January, there were discussions with City, but it fell through because the two clubs could not reach an agreement."