Tuchel unwilling to ‘cancel’ Chelsea starlet’s ‘whole project’

Thomas Tuchel has insisted that he is unwilling to “cancel a whole project” regarding Billy Gilmour’s season-long loan at Norwich City this season.

Gilmour joined Chelsea in 2019 and he made his debut for them during the 2019/20 campaign.

The 20-year-old has played 22 times for the Blues up until the end of the 2020/21 season.

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Gilmour joined Norwich City on loan during the summer and he started four out of their first five Premier League games this season.

But he has not featured for the Canaries in the league since their fifth game of the 2021/22 campaign.

As reported by The Athletic, Tuchel said they will decide what to do with Gilmour during the winter transfer window:

“We will take the decision in January. That’s when decisions have to be made, not now.

“I spoke with Daniel about it and I was happy to meet with Billy around the (Norwich) match.

“The things were clear when we decided together (in the summer), that he was looking for more minutes and game time at another club. The challenge was clear that he has to fight his way through. This is where it is right now.

“Things are not going as he maybe wishes and what we all wish for. But it is not the moment to give solutions and cancel a whole project.

“Sometimes these weeks and months arrive where the situation seems to be stuck or is not going the right way. You have to hang in there, show your quality and make sure you help your team, no matter where it is. That sharpens your character and it will be a big chapter in your career. That’s the same for Billy.

“For me right now it is not the moment to already give solutions for January or open the talks to bringing him back. It is the start of November, there are still two months to go. There is a lot of time to prove he has enough quality and help Norwich to be a better team.”