One of Chelsea's greatest strengths this season is their depth and quality in midfield.
Blues manager Frank Lampard seems likely to switch things up in midfield throughout the season, with the personnel to do so.
However, one man seems to have been forgotten in amongst the Kai Havertz hat-tricks and the missed Jorginho penalties - Billy Gilmour.
Gilmour's Initial Rise
The young Scot was fully integrated into the first team back in February, and put in back-to-back Man of the Match performances, the first of which being in Chelsea's 2-0 victory over Liverpool in the FA Cup, in which he ran rings around the likes of Liverpool's Fabinho, his opposite number on the night.
Gilmour went on to shine against Everton in the Premier League just days later, controlling the game from the base of Lampard's midfield three in a 4-0 win. Just when it seemed as though nothing could stop the then 18-year-old, his progress was stunted by the cancellation of all football due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The Breakdown
Upon football's return, many questioned whether Gilmour's involvement would be as regular, with Chelsea having a fully-fit midfield for the first time in months, with Ruben Loftus-Cheek returning from a long-term Achilles injury in the buildup to Project Restart.
Gilmour was involved with each of Chelsea's match day squads thanks to the newly-introduced five-sub rule, allowing clubs to better manage player fitness throughout their final batch of fixtures. After being an unused substitute against Aston Villa, Gilmour made a short cameo in Chelsea's 2-1 win over Manchester City, replacing Mason Mount in the 90th minute.
Gilmour would start the first game of the restart in Chelsea's FA Cup quarter final against Leicester, but the young midfielder was hooked at half-time, following an underwhelming performance. He started the next two games against West Ham and Watford on the bench, coming on for the last ten minutes against the latter.
For the next match against Crystal Palace, Gilmour was awarded a start in N'Golo Kante's absence, putting in a more assured performance than in previous appearances. However, the young midfielder's season would come to a premature end, after being forced off the pitch in the 80th minute. Lampard confirmed that Gilmour would face a lengthy spell on the sidelines in an interview with TalkSport, saying: “Billy Gilmour has had an operation on his knee this morning, so he will be out we estimate somewhere between three and four months unfortunately.
“But I told him he should be very pleased with what he’s done and the impact he’s had this season anyway. His attitude will get him back as quickly as he can.
“I’m sure he’ll do everything right, put in the work and the rehab, and he has a very close-knit family around him who will help. But we’re his family too, so we’ll be there for him."
The Season Ahead
So, what can be expected of Gilmour this season? For one, it will be much harder for him to get game time - with no outgoings (yet) and Havertz coming in, Gilmour has yet another adversary to overcome in the quest for first-team football.
Furthermore, with the rumours of a potential move for West Ham's Declan Rice continuing to circulate, pressure will continue to build on the young Scot, especially since Rice would most likely play at the base of the midfield, much like Gilmour, Kante and Jorginho. With the 19-year-old sidelined until at least November, he'll face a real uphill battle if he is to avoid being drafted in as the latest member of Chelsea's Loan Army.
However, signs are seemingly pointing towards Gilmour retaining his spot in Lampard's squad. The manager is obviously a massive fan of the player and following Michy Batshuayi's loan move to Palace, Gilmour upgraded on his squad number, taking the departing striker's number 23 ahead of his own number 47. While this means little in terms of assurance over play time, it would seem to indicate that Gilmour has gone up in the general squad rankings and could see at least some form of involvement over the course of the season.
Billy Gilmour is one of many exceptional talents in Chelsea's current squad and has shown in a minimal number of appearances that he has the quality to belong at a top club. Whether or not he makes it this season or next is yet to be seen but sooner or later, Gilmour will be in a position to demand first-team football - just like the greatest talents of generations gone by.