Chelsea loanees hit the 21 mark as Tomas Kalas joins Fulham, Michael Hector moves to Hull and Jamal Blackman heads to Sheffield United

• e-mail

The number of Chelsea players sent out on loan this summer has risen to 21 with defenders Tomas Kalas and Michael Hector joining Championship clubs Fulham and Hull respectively while goalkeeper Jamal Blackman heads to Sheffield United.

Kalas will spend a second season loan at Fulham after signing a new four-year contract with Chelsea, while Hector will work under the Tigers' Russian manager Leonid Slutsky, a friend of Roman Abramovich, at the KCOM Stadium.

Blackman heads to Sheffield United, having impressed during his time with Wycombe last season.  

Tomas Kalas is presented with the No 26 shirt he will wear for Fulham in the coming season

Michael Hector joined Hull later on Thursday, becoming the 20th Chelsea player loaned out

Chelsea's loan business is not expected to stop with approximately 15 more players expected to be loaned out before the transfer window closes. 

Kalas' Chelsea team-mate Lucas Piazon also signed up to a second season-long loan with Fulham earlier this month as they look to go one better and earn promotion back to the Premier League.

The 24-year-old centre back, who has six caps for Czech Republic, was a key part of the Fulham side which finished sixth in the Championship last season only to be beaten in the play-off semi-finals by Reading. 

'It's a pleasure to welcome Tomas Kalas,' said Fulham vice chairman Tony Khan. 

Chelsea released this picture of Kalas signing a new four-year deal before being loaned out

'We appreciate Tomas so much after the way that he battled for us last season, demonstrating not only tremendous skill but also great heart and determination.

'We're very excited to have him here again as one of us as we prepare for our next battle, and what we hope will be a great season.'

Kalas signed for Chelsea from Sigma Olomouc in 2010 but has made just four appearances for the club - though one of those came as a starter as Chelsea famously halted Liverpool's title bid at Anfield in 2014. 

Hector appears for a Chelsea XI against Crawley Town earlier this month 

He has spent time on loan at Chelsea's Dutch feeder club Vitesse Arnhem as well as at German side Cologne and with Middlesbrough and Fulham in the Championship.

Hector, 25, joined Chelsea from Reading in 2015 before being sent straight back to the Madejski Stadium for a season.

The 12-cap Jamaica international gained valuable experience in the Bundesliga last year with Eintracht Frankfurt and follows fellow Blue Ola Aina in joining Hull on loan.

As well as Wycombe, Blackman has had temporary spells at Middlesbrough and Swedish club Ostersunds, and is yet to make his Chelsea debut.