According to a recent report by El Desmarque, Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola is keeping a keen eye on the development of Chelsea midfielder Billy Gilmour. The same source has also claimed that the Citizens have identified the Scottish midfielder as a top target for the summer transfer window. It is believed that Real Madrid and Barcelona are also interested in acquiring the youngster’s services whose current contract at Stamford Bridge expires in the summer of 2023 (via El Desmarque).
Gilmour’s Impressive Rise In A Chelsea Shirt
The 18-year-old put in a coming of age performance in the 2-0 win over Liverpool in the FA Cup on Tuesday night. Hence, it is no surprise that so many top clubs are keeping tabs on his progress at West London. The early signs have been quite promising from the talented midfielder so he could be next in line to get a regular starting berth in Lampard’s first-team.
Gilmour has only made six senior appearances this season but is yet to open his goal-scoring account for the Blues. However, it is also worth noting that the Scottish prospect has made a positive impression for the Chelsea Under-23 team, registering seven goals and ten assists for them in 37 matches. He has already proven his worth at the youth ranks of the West London club, but there are still question marks over whether he is good enough to be a regular starter in the Premier League.
The Irvine-born starlet is primarily a box to box midfielder but can also play in a holding midfield role if required. His versatility, coupled with his ability to make driving runs with the ball, has raised his stock in European football.
What Does The Scottish Talent Bring To The Table?
Gilmour is a moderately-paced midfielder who can interchange passes accurately with others without losing possession of the ball. The teen sensation can create space for his teammates by making unselfish runs in the opposition half. The Scotland U-21 international also doesn’t shy away from getting on the ball so that he can make things happen going forward. However, he is still far from a finished product, so Lampard will need to be patient with him if he wants to see the player at his best in the coming years.
Why Lampard Cannot Allow Gilmour To Leave
The Scottish midfield ace currently has Jorginho, Ross Barkley, Mateo Kovacic and N’golo Kante ahead of him in the Chelsea pecking order. So it will be a huge challenge for the youngster to earn regular first-team minutes in the English top-flight next season.
At the same time, the Blues have done well to nurture and develop Gilmour into a promising young midfielder. Therefore, it makes no sense for them to let the talented playmaker leave when his best years are still clearly ahead of him.
With over three years left to run on his current contract at the Bridge, the London giants will not be under any pressure to sell even if Man City end up making a bid for the player this summer. Furthermore, the possibility of Man City being banned for two years from all UEFA competitions could also help Lampard retain Gilmour for the long run, especially if he can steer his side to a top 4 finish at the end of this campaign.
