01 February 2021

Chelsea decide against allowing Billy Gilmour to go out on loan

01 February 2021

Chelsea have chosen not to send Billy Gilmour out on loan, the PA news agency understands.

New Blues manager Thomas Tuchel wants Gilmour to stay at Stamford Bridge, with the teen star set to remain in the Blues’ first-team squad.

Gilmour had feared being overlooked for first-team action under Tuchel’s new Chelsea regime, and was open to a loan to boost his chances of making Scotland’s senior squad for the summer’s Euros.

Chelsea v Burnley – Premier League – Stamford Bridge (PA Wire)

Ex-Paris St Germain boss Tuchel rates Jorginho, Mateo Kovacic and N’Golo Kante very highly, and all three operate in similar roles to 19-year-old Gilmour.

Southampton had been keen to take Gilmour on loan, with West Ham having monitored the situation as well.

But now the former Rangers youth star is poised to stay put in west London, and will push for regular first-team action.

Scotland Under-21 midfielder Gilmour broke through under former boss Frank Lampard, impressing in a number of high-profile fixtures last season.

Gilmour had harboured concerns that Tuchel’s arrival last week in replacing the sacked Lampard would halt his progress, and the highly-rated Scottish playmaker was omitted from Chelsea’s first two matches under their new manager.

But German boss Tuchel has been impressed by Gilmour’s work in training, and will look to involve him in regular first-team rotation.

Chelsea claimed lift-off for the Tuchel era with Sunday’s 2-0 Premier League win over Burnley at Stamford Bridge, with defenders Cesar Azpilicueta and Marcos Alonso firing fine goals.

Alonso made his first Chelsea appearance since September and just his fourth of the season, having been frozen out under former boss Lampard.

The 30-year-old was thought to have fallen out with Lampard, leading to his first-team absence.

But after his eye-catching volley that sealed Sunday’s hard-fought win over the regimented Clarets, Alonso insisted he has always preferred his statements to come via the pitch.

“We knew it would be dangerous against this team with the long balls and set-pieces so I was there to help,” Alonso told Chelsea’s official club website.

“It’s been a while since I played but I’ve been working hard and I’m just happy that I was ready for today.

“A lot of things have been said out there but I like to work, be quiet and talk on the pitch, so that was for the fans.

“It’s good to get the reward and hopefully there will be more to come.”

Sean Dyche’s Burnley made no bones about bidding to stifle and frustrate Tuchel’s new-look Chelsea, with the Clarets boss relatively relaxed in defeat.

Asked if he would dip into the transfer market on deadline day, he replied: “It’s looking improbable I would say at this stage.

“But we’re at least in a position to get certain things out with current players on contracts now.

“There’s a balance to the situation at the moment, so we’ll see how that goes moving forward.”

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