Billy Gilmour is a loan target for Rangers (Getty Images)
According to The Sun, Scottish Premiership leaders Rangers are keen on signing ex-academy man Billy Gilmour on loan from Chelsea in January.
The report further claims that Frank Lampard’s side are open to the prospect of letting the young midfielder leave on a temporary basis until the end of the season.
Born in Irvine, Scotland, Gilmour joined the Rangers youth academy in 2009, when he was just eight years old. The midfielder enjoyed a rapid progress through the youth ranks at the club alerted by his potential, Chelsea signed him up in 2017.
Despite being 16 at the time, Gilmour went right into the Blues’ U-18 setup, for whom he made 26 appearances, registering 8 goals and 3 assists. Soon, a promotion to the U-23s followed, for whom the Scotsman has 8 goals and 10 assists in 39 games.
Gilmour made his first-team debut for Chelsea in August last year under Frank Lampard. And while he had to wait for his time, the youngster was enjoying a good run of form around the turn of the year, before a serious knee injury ended his season.
The 19-year-old returned to full fitness recently and has featured twice for the Blues this term. In total, Gilmour has 13 senior appearances for the West London outfit. (h/t Transfermarkt)
Gilmour has represented the Scotland national team at all age-groups starting from U-15 to U-21, but is yet to make a senior debut.
Rangers have enjoyed a fine start to the new season and look set to end arch-rivals Celtic’s monopoly in the Scottish Premiership at long last. Steven Gerrard’s men are currently sitting at the top of the table, with a thirteen-point advantage.
And in order for them to drive home that advantage and lift the trophy come the end of the season, ensuring that there is enough quality and depth in the squad becomes an utmost necessity.
Gerrard has as many as six central midfielders at his disposal currently. The Rangers boss added Bongani Zungu to the already existing contingent of Glen Kamara, Joe Aribo, Scott Arfield, Ryan Jack and Steven Davis, on loan in the summer.
However, Zungu has failed to make the desired impact at the club and is yet to start a single game in the Premiership or in the UEFA Europa League. In addition, Davis is 35 years old and Gerrard will have to use him carefully, with the Gers alive in Europe too.
So bringing in another midfielder would be a good move to add depth. And Gilmour, to that end, would be a handy addition.
The 19-year-old has shown that he can cut it at the highest level, impressing in Chelsea’s UEFA Champions League game against Krasnodar earlier this week. Adding him would enhance the depth and quality of the squad, ensuring that Gerrard has enough options at his disposal in case of injuries or drop in form.
Gilmour is a gifted, young player, who at the moment isn’t a starter at Chelsea. So for him to continue his progress, a loan exit would be the right move, which would also benefit the Blues in the longer run.
At the same time, Rangers need to have enough options in the squad to make sure that their title challenge doesn’t wither away in case of injuries. Thus, a short-term deal for their former academy sense would make a lot of sense.