Gilmour among Chelsea academy duo jettisoned by Tuchel from Chelsea first team squad

Will Ford 18 Jul 2022 9:40 AM

Chelsea academy graduates Billy Gilmour and Harvey Vale have reportedly left Thomas Tuchel’s first team group.

The pair are out in the US with the rest of the squad as they prepare for the new season and their next preseason game against Charlotte on Thursday.

But Football.London correspondent Adam Newson claims the young duo have now left the squad and could instead join the development squad, who are also touring the US.

Understand Billy Gilmour and Harvey Vale have left the Chelsea first-team group – and are potentially joining up with the Dev Squad out here in the U.S.

Armando Broja, meanwhile, is on his way back to England tonight. Clubs still pushing to sign him.

— Adam Newson (@AdamNewson) July 18, 2022

Gilmour, 21, spent last season on loan at Norwich, starting 21 Premier League games in their relegation campaign.

Vale meanwhile, made one start for the Chelsea first team in the EFL Cup last season, and four further substitute appearances under Tuchel in cup competitions.

Both will have been hoping to force their way into the German manager’s first team plans ahead of the coming season, and will now have to deal with what they hope to be a temporary setback.

Meanwhile, Chelsea striker Armando Broja will ‘clarify his future very soon’ as he flies back to England.

Broja signed for Chelsea as a youth player in 2009 following a spell at Tottenham, and has impressed in loan spells with Vitesse and Southampton in the last two seasons.

The 20-year-old scored nine goals for the Saints across all competitions last term, catching the eye of a number of suitors in the process.

He’s been linked with clubs in Italy, including Napoli, while Newcastle, Everton and Southampton have all reportedly sounded Chelsea out over a possible permanent deal.

Newson confirmed that the Albania international will now fly back from Chelsea’s US tour as he and the club consider offers.

West Ham are perhaps the side most heavily linked with Broja as they look to end their long search for a new striker, with a report over the weekend claiming the Hammers were set to lodge a £100m triple swoop of Broja, Gianluca Scamacca from Sassuolo and Lille’s Amadou Onana.

Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has backed up Newson’s claim that Broja is returning to England, adding that the Blues striker will ‘clarify his future very soon’.

‘West Ham are very close to agreeing personal terms’ with Broja and talks are ‘ongoing’ with Chelsea over his transfer.

Chelsea Billy Gilmour