There won’t be a January transfer window exit from Chelsea for Scotland starlet Billy Gilmour.
The teenage midfielder is thought to be the country’s next big star and Chelsea see him as one of their top talents too. He has only just returned from a serious knee injury.
Gilmour burst onto the scene last term at Stamford Bridge, making multiple Premier League appearances, featuring 11 times in all competitions before his season was halted by a torn meniscus.
He only returned to action in the latter stages of this year, first with the Scotland U21s and Chelsea youth sides in November, then a senior chance against the likes of Sevilla and Krasnodar earlier this month.
Rumours had began to circle that Frank Lampard was looking to loan the youngster out to get him some regular minutes. Serie A side Napoli and Gilmour’s former club Rangers were suggested as two options.
It’s been noted that Gilmour wants to play as much as possible in the second half of this season to increase his chances of going to Euro 2020 with Scotland next summer. But he’ll have to find them at Chelsea.
A report has emerged claiming that the Stamford Bridge club have no intention of letting Gilmour leave in January (Athletic). Instead, he will form part of Lampard’s squad, the Chelsea boss seeing him as a holding midfielder or number eight.
He could get his chance to stake a regular starting spot claim against Aston Villa on Monday night, Chelsea playing their second game in three days, the first a 3-1 defeat to Arsenal.
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