Receiving some love from Everton manager Frank Lampard might be just what Billy Gilmour needs to kick-start his fledgling career again with the Chelsea midfielder “determined to become a world-class player.” That’s the verdict of Football.London Chelsea writer Bobby Vincent.
Lampard has long-stated his desire to revamp Everton’s midfield this summer and declared after their 2-0 loss to Arsenal that he was looking to find a ‘number six’ type player. With Football.Scotland reporting that the Blues boss is keen to take Gilmour to Goodison Park, could the 21-year-old, who has been cut from Thomas Tuchel’s first team party in the USA to join the club’s development squad, prove the solution?
Vincent told the ECHO: “Gilmour first broke into the Chelsea senior side against Liverpool in the FA Cup and played in the number six role. In that match, he was absolutely fantastic and at such a young age, he dominated a superb Liverpool midfield in a position that usually requires plenty of maturity and experience.
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“The defensive side of his game needs some improvement, it’s more about what he can do when in possession. He’s not an old-school defensive midfielder, who is going to put in crunching tackles consistently, but he’s someone who keeps the game ticking over really well.”
He added: “He’s a very small man, so he is not a physical central midfielder, but it doesn’t mean he shirks a challenge. Gilmour has been brought through the Chelsea academy system that loves to press when not in possession.
“He takes risks when his team don't have the ball. He can often be found high up the pitch looking to win the ball back. However, it’s his maturity and composure in possession that really stands out. He’s very rarely caught in possession and can play in really tight areas. Gilmour is a very cute and aesthetically pleasing footballer.”
Like so many young footballers during Lampard’s time in charge at Stamford Bridge, it was the now Everton manager who gave Gilmour his first team breakthrough and Vincent reckons the prospect of the Scottish international being reunited with his former gaffer might be just what he needs.
He said: “Any young midfielder breaking through the Chelsea academy will be in awe of Frank Lampard, so that would have been the case with Gilmour as well. Despite having a completely different style to Lampard during his playing days, his football knowhow helped Gilmour loads when making the step into the senior squad.
“Gilmour hasn’t received the love from Tuchel that he got from Lampard and at this point of his career, that love might be exactly what he needs. If Lampard can offer him regular first-team football at Everton, then Gilmour would take it. He has such competition at Chelsea.”
During Lampard’s time at Chelsea, Gilmour was touted as being one of the brightest young prospects in the Premier League but he had a tough time on loan at a struggling Norwich City side last season. Despite his difficulties at Carrow Road, Vincent believes that Goodison Park might be a much better-suited location for him.
He said: “Last season at Norwich was not great for Billy – he’d be the first to admit that. It was a loan spell that made sense at the time, but in hindsight, a more stable Premier League club would have been the smarter option for Chelsea. He’s very highly rated at Chelsea still, but as is the case with numerous young players, if the right offer comes in, then Chelsea are likely to accept it.
“Off the pitch, he’s a very friendly person. I think the family-type environment at Everton will make him feel at home. On the pitch, he’s an extremely hard worker and he trains very well. He’s determined to become a world-class player.”
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