Rangers Academy chief Craig Mulholland has confirmed the Light Blues received a “return” from Billy Gilmour’s move to Chelsea after the wonderkid made his international debut ahead of Euro 2020.
Gilmour left Ibrox in 2017 when he turned 16 to join the Stamford Bridge side and was called into Steve Clarke’s side for this summer’s Euros after making the breakthrough into the first-team at Chelsea.
The former Ibrox teen picked up a Champions League winner’s medal too this season and Mulholland confirmed there are a number of “significant add-ons” as part of the deal, something he feels “justifies the investment” Rangers have made in the club’s Academy.
While Mulholland admits selling players so young isn’t something the club aims to have as part of their business model, he concedes it comes with the territory sometimes.
“The deal we got was a significant number at the time and has some more significant add-ons after that, which are a positive for Rangers,” Mulholland told The Athletic.
“It has a really good sell-on so every time he does well with Chelsea or makes his debut for Scotland, for example, there is a further return for Rangers which justifies the investment in the academy.
“It’s not part of the business model we ever want as we want to retain our best talent and get them to the first team as there is even more value there but in every academy in the world we will always have players leave as part of player trading.”
Gilmour faces competition from the likes of Manchester United star Scott McTominay, Celtic’s Callum McGregor, Stuart Armstrong of Southampton and Aston Villa’s John McGinn at Euro 2020.
The former Rangers youngster has a massive future ahead of him at both club and international level – and Euro 2020 could just be when he becomes a household name across Europe.
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