BILLY GILMOUR is considering a loan move from Chelsea to give his career a kick-start.
The Scotland midfielder has played just two-and-a-half Premier League games since new head coach Thomas Tuchel took over in January.
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It was feared the lack of match time would end up costing him a Euro 2020 place with the Scots at one point.
Gilmour, 19, has been hailed as one of the brightest talents to emerge from Chelsea’s academy in recent years.
And he is now pondering whether to follow in the footsteps of team-mate Mason Mount by heading out for a season to mature and play more first team football.
Gilmour hopes a good showing at the Euros will attract a top flight club to offer a loan spell with the realistic chance of more game time.
Mount, 22, spent a total of two seasons away – first at Dutch side Vitesse Arnhem and then with Derby County in the Championship.
At Derby he played under Frank Lampard who then put him on the road to stardom by making him a key figure in the Chelsea team on his return.
Mount is now a Champions League winner and will be an influential player with England at the Euros next week.
Gilmour has already had to overcome a serious knee injury after being ruled out for five months until last November and is widely regarded as one of the most stylish young players in the Premier League.
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Scotland team-mate Che Adams says he has been welcomed with open arms and already feels at home.
The Southampton forward, 24, who celebrated his fourth cap with the winner over Luxembourg, has even been urged to change his accent.
He added: “There’s been plenty of banter going around since I got called up. Everyone at Southampton calls me McAdams! I got that every day!
“Then when I came to my first camp the boys told me to do my first interview in a Scottish accent, which was quite funny. It’s part and parcel in dressing rooms and you need that.
“With the squad we’ve got here everyone is a good player and everyone knows how to play football and knows their responsibilities so I think that’s massive going into any game.
“And everyone is so close. It makes you want to play for the lads even more and for the manager.”
Adams already has one of Scotland’s greatest ever players in his fan club with King Kenny Dalglish recently talking him up.
Adams added: “That’s the first time I’ve heard that. It’s unbelievable that someone of that calibre is talking about me in that way. I am just buzzing to be here.”
