In his recent Daily Mail column (as cited by the Daily Record), former Celtic midfielder Kris Commons has slammed Norwich City over Billy Gilmour’s gametime and urged Rangers to try loaning him from Chelsea during the winter window. The Blues sanctioned a season-long deal back in summer, but the Scotsman eventually lost his starting role despite featuring in the initial gameweeks.
Thomas Tuchel and Daniel Farke were asked about Gilmour’s situation at Carrow Road prior to the Canaries’ disastrous 7-0 defeat at Stamford Bridge. Both the managers want him to fight for his place, however, Chelsea might still recall him in January if the purpose is not served in terms of the midfielder’s development.
“If Gilmour is still twiddling his thumbs in January, Rangers should get on the phone to Chelsea and at least ask the question. Some people might think it would be a backward step to return to his old club. But Rangers are a different animal now compared to when Gilmour left in 2017.”
Commons penned his opinion while discussing the 20-year-old’s future. The then Gers boss Pedro Caixinha tried his level best to keep hold of the academy graduate, but the London giants splashed a significant fee to secure his services.
Star-studded Chelsea are well equipped in the middle of the park and in spite of impressing in limited opportunities under Frank Lampard, Gilmour has been way down the pecking order behind N’Golo Kante, Jorginho, Mateo Kovacic and Ruben Loftus-Cheek. Moreover, they roped in Saul Niguez from Atletico Madrid on an initial loan and the Scotland international, therefore, must feature week in week out to stake a claim in Tuchel’s plans.
Why Rangers Would Benefit From The Deal
Rangers, on the other hand, have ample midfield options. Joe Aribo and Glen Kamara have been exquisite in the centre of the pitch, whereas Steven Gerrard tied down Juninho Bacuna and John Lundstram to add more depth as well as quality. Having said that, the Light Blues might undergo a crisis late in the campaign unless they resolve a few concerns in winter.
Steven Davis has been magnificent as a deep-lying playmaker amid the injury absence of Ryan Jack. But the iconic Northern Irishman will be 37 in a couple of months, whereas Jack has returned to team training only a few days back. Davis is no more the same player he used to be, also the other summer recruit Nnamdi Ofoborh’s future is in jeopardy due to heart issues. Scott Arfield is not the best option to operate from the base of a three-man midfield and the profile of Gilmour would see him fit in Gerrard’s system instantly. The Light Blues tried to snap up the youngster before Norwich offered him Premier League minutes, however, the time has come to reignite interest over a short-term return to Ibrox for the rest of the season.
