Tomas Kalas, has signed for Championship side Bristol City on a permanent deal.
The fee agreed is close to £8 million according to Bristol Live and will eclipse the club record of £5.3 million which City paid to sign Famara Diedhiou from Angers in 2017.
Kalas, 26, spent last season out on loan at the Robins, making a total of 41 appearances in all competitions last season.
The year in Bristol must have been one to remember as the Championship side beat Scottish Champions, Celtic, to the Czech defender's signature.
Kalas had been Chelsea's current 'longest-serving player', after spending nine years at the club.
"This was the right move for me"
Kalas discussed the importance of making the permanent switch to Bristol City, and said: “I had a nice summer, a bit of a holiday and now I’m ready to go again for a whole season.
“The fans and everyone associated with the club made me feel welcome and at home. It felt the right thing to do.
“ I knew where I was going, what I could expect and the manager and the boys know what to expect from me. It was easier than joining a new club and having to get used to everyone and everything again.
“I hope to prove to everyone that I am worth being here. I appreciate the opportunity to show to everyone that I can play football to help the club go where it wants to be and that is the promised land.”
Kalas' Chelsea career...
The 26-year-old joined Chelsea in 2010 from Czech side Sigma Olomouc for a fee around £6 million.
Since then, Kalas has had a number of loan moves away from the club.
He has been on loan at Vitesse, FC Köln, Middlesbrough, Fulham, and most recently Bristol City.
The Czech defender only made four appearances in Chelsea's first team over the years. But he will be remembered the most by Blues fans in a heroic 2-0 victory at Anfield against Liverpool in the 2013/14 season.
Most of the defender's Chelsea appearances came for their under 21 and under 23 sides. In his time playing for the youth team, Kalas won the under 21's Premier League in the 2013/14 season.