Ex-Rangers starlet Billy Gilmour shrugs off Islam Feruz comparisons with stunning Chelsea debut

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Billy Gilmour has made an excellent start to life in Chelsea’s youth team after making a contentious move to Stamford Bridge from Rangers.

Billy Gilmour will have heard a lot about a certain Islam Feruz in recent months. The 16-year-old was earning rave reviews for his performances in Rangers’ academy and justifiably piqued the interest of some of Europe’s biggest and most glamorous clubs.

And, after fighting off interest from Manchester United, Arsenal and even Barcelona, The Sun reported that Chelsea eventually won the race for one of Britain’s most sought-after young talents.

This is where Feruz comes in. The one-time jewel of Celtic’s academy, a 16-year-old Feruz rejected the offer of a professional contract with The Hoops after being attracted by the bright lights of Stamford Bridge.

Six years on, he is still a Chelsea player but hardly the first-team regular he had hoped to become. The 22-year-old has had five loan spells in the last three years at clubs ranging from OFI Crete to Swindon Town.

Yet, if the early signs are anything to go by, Gilmour can succeed where Feruz failed. A stunning long-range strike was the perfect way to make his debut for the Premier League champions’ Under-18 side with some even going as far as to compare him with one Cesc Fabregas.

Rangers fans and legends may have lined up to warn Gilmour about the potential pitfalls of signing for a club who’s record at blooding young players in the first-team is far from stellar.

However, if Gilmour maintains his excellent start to life in royal blue, there is no reason to believe he cannot buck the trend.