Bristol City are a young side who are improving year on year under manager Lee Johnson.

Their eighth-placed finish could have been so much more. They finished just four points off Derby in sixth but if they had beaten them in the penultimate game of the season - rather than lost - then it could have been them appearing at Wembley in the play-off final.

Much of that success was down to Tomas Kalas. The 26-year-old had a good year on loan with The Robins, so impressive that whoscored have given him an average rating of 7.08 for his performances in the league.

Kalas was also a key defender in a Fulham team which made the Championship play-offs two years running, and played in the final against Aston Villa in 2018 which sent Fulham up - he even kept a clean sheet.

Bristol City are reportedly interested in signing him once again, this time on a permanent basis. However, they face competition from Rangers for the £3.6 million valued Czech international.

After another impressive season in the Championship, we look at the areas of his game where he has impressed the most.

It is clear that Kalas provides Bristol City with a physical edge in defence. His statistic of 5.2 clearances per game shows how decisive he can be in his own penalty area. Dealing with crosses into the box is one of the most important attributes required by Championship defenders - and it is a quality Kalas possesses.

Similarly an average of 4.4 aerial duels per match shows he can handle long balls played in the air to strikers. Bristol City play a passing game and they don't base their qualities on physical attributes, so it is important for a player like Kalas, who is physical, to take command when called upon.

As mentioned, Bristol City defenders have to be good with the ball at their feet due to their style of play.

Kalas is an all-round player, and his passing stats support this. An average of almost 40 passes per game puts him in the top 15 for Championship defenders. His average pass success is only 77.7% and this is an area he can look to improve on next season.

He is also adept at another aspect of the game on the ground, and that is with interceptions and blocks. 2.1 average interceptions shows his quick-thinking and movement, which is very important against Championship attackers.

An average of just over one block a game is also fairly good, but could be improved on to make him one of the best defenders outside the Premier League.

Kalas has proved himself again and again in the Championship, and it is fairly surprising that no team has given him a proper shot at Premier League football. I'm sure he'd be capable of making the step up and he certainly deserves it.