Teenage star Gilmour left Rangers to join Chelsea last summer.
Scottish FA performance director Malky Mackay has praised the Rangers coaching staff on BBC Sport for the development of teenage star Billy Gilmour, who joined Chelsea last summer from Ibrox.
Gilmour, who only turned 17 in June, starred in Chelsea colours last season – so much so that he was promoted to the club’s Under-23 side and earned Scotland Under-21 caps despite being 16 years of age.
For both the Under-18 and Under-23 sides, Gilmour made 28 appearances in all competitions last season and scored eight goals as well as creating three strikes during that time.
He has started this season in fine form, with a goal and two assists in five Under-23 outings and Mackay has praised the likes of Craig Mulholland for their help in maximising Gilmour’s potential when he was north of the border.
“He’s got a lot of potential,” Mackay said. “He’s been on our radar since he was 11 years old and coming through the Grange Performance School and obviously he’s been in Rangers teams all the way through.
“Craig Mulholland and the academy coaches at Rangers have given him a fabulous grounding. He’s now taken another step, which is a very brave step to take, going down to Chelsea and he’s hit the ground running.”
Gilmour’s exponential rise continued in France this summer at the Toulon Tournament, where he played in four of Scotland’s matches as they reached the semi-finals of the competition – playing alongside Oliver Burke and Fraser Hornby.
The midfielder will be looking to continually impress in Chelsea’s second string and if he continues to do just that, then a first-team chance under Maurizio Sarri could be in the offing sooner rather than later.
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