We all expected Billy Gilmour to leave Chelsea this summer, but most of us thought it would be a loan move and not permanent.
His talent is clear, and despite a bad year at Norwich, we thought he would get another swing at the Premier League this year.
Instead, from nowhere he was sold to Brighton for a small fee. What happened? Thomas Tuchel explained in quotes picked up by the Evening Standard.
“We had high hopes [for him] and he played for us in the first half a year when I was at Chelsea,” Tuchel explained.
“He played some important matches for us and looked for a new challenge that did not go so well for him with Norwich.”
“We expected more, he expected more so it was like, without pointing a finger, but it is difficult also for him and for us to not succeed, to not play at Norwich, to be relegated and then suddenly be a central midfielder for Chelsea and competing for top four and for every title.
“Billy did not want to go on loan, it was a no-go for him so in the end, we agreed to a sale.”
Most Chelsea fans would argue that Gilmour didn’t get nearly enough chances considering the promise he showed in a lot of his early games for the club. Tuchel seemed to write him off without seeing much of him, and while the loan to Norwich was a disaster, there were plenty of mitigating circumstances.
We understand why Gilmour didn’t want to go on loan, and if he wasn’t going to get chances here it made sense for a permanent sale to be made.
It just seems like an unnecessarily quick end to a story we thought would have a much happier ending.
So long Billy, and good luck. After all,—Tuchel knows best,—-I don¨t think. !!!!!!!!
Chelsea can afford to pay for any player that the want, no need to improve the younger players. Brighton on the other hand, with Graham Potter as the manager can make such a difference to every aspect of their performance.