Billy can fly high with the Seagulls
The start of Billy Gilmour’s Brighton career has been unsettled.
The Scotland star was snapped up on deadline day from Chelsea by Graham Potter for £9 million. Six days later, he jumped ship to Stamford Bridge to replace Thomas Tuchel.
Former Brighton favourite Adam Virgo doesn’t view the turn of events as a huge negative for Gilmour, and expects him to flourish on England’s south coast.
A few seasons with the Seagulls could see the midfielder take flight back to the Premier League elite, a route already taken by Ben White (Arsenal), Yves Bissouma (Spurs) and Marc Cucurella (Chelsea).
Virgo, a Celtic defender in Gordon Strachan’s reign, said: “Of course, what’s just happened isn’t ideal. You sign for one manager, and there’s no guarantee you get on with the next one.
“But, at Brighton, the manager who comes in has to work with Tony Bloom, Paul Barber and the philosophy they use to sign players.
“They don’t look for massive reputations on massive contracts. They scout potential, finding the likes of Cucurella and Bissouma, and selling them for big profits.
“This could be a stepping stone for Billy to get back into those ‘Big Six’ clubs. He’ll have learned a lot at Chelsea, playing with those players and for those managers. But Brighton will improve him a whole lot more.
“I see him being a big player this season, and an absolutely huge player in the seasons after.
“Then you’ll really see Billy’s qualities. I’d be very surprised if Brighton pull away from the way Graham played, and whoever comes in will have Billy a big part of his plans.
“He’ll really enjoy this massively possession-based side. The Seagulls’ fans love a holding midfielder who puts a tackle in, keeps the ball well and starts possession from deep. It’s a good fit.”