Chelsea loanee Billy Gilmour has become a ‘better all-round player’ at Norwich City

Chelsea play Norwich City tonight (Thursday), and that’s a great time to check in with the progress of Billy Gilmour, our somewhat forgotten loanee.

While Gilmour hasn’t quite reached the heady heights of fellow Loan Army midfielder Conor Gallagher, he has managed to re-establish himself as a key player in the Canaries’ midfield. In fact, after falling out of favor under previous head coach Daniel Farke (and drawing the unfair ire of the fans as well), the 20-year-old has started all but one Premier League match (when available) under Dean Smith, who took charge in late November. The only time Billy has been left out was when he was dealing with an ankle injury for most of January.

While Smith hasn’t been able to turn the club’s fortunes around and they are surely heading for the drop, he has been pleased with the Chelsea loanee’s play and is certain that we will be getting a player back after the season.

“As a lad, his attitude and application is second to none. First out on the training ground and the last off. He has just got a love for football. He is well-liked within the dressing room by staff and players.

“He has come to a different type of football club and what I mean that is Chelsea go into most games and dominate possession, Norwich as a club, us going into the Premier League, there is going to be better (opposition) players than we have got in the (Norwich) squad at times.

“He has had to learn another side to the game and I think if you asked him he would say he has learnt and become a better all round player because of that.”

-Dean Smith; source: Football.London

Gilmour, who’s ineligible against Chelsea as per Premier League regulations, was already a tenacious and fearless little [FUNNER] and it sounds like he’s not lost that bite. Good to hear!

Along with Gallagher, he surely has to get at least a look-in for next season in the Chelsea first-team squad, especially with our changing ownership situation (i.e. no more blank checks) and the likes of Jorginho and N’Golo Kanté not getting any younger (and approaching potentially very big contract/career decisions).