Chelsea is rumored to have interest in West Ham midfielder Declan Rice. Should the rumors come into fruition, sending Billy Gilmour to West Ham on loan would be a brilliant move.
David Moyes recently spoke about reports linking Rice to Chelsea, with his response featuring a bit of humor. Moyes jokingly stated that if Rice moves to west London, he wants Billy Gilmour at West Ham. While he was undoubtedly joking, there must be a bit of truth in Moyes’ words.
Of all youngsters in Chelsea’s first team this season, Gilmour is the one getting the most attention from the Scottish manager. Chelsea would never sell a young star with as much potential as the 18-year-old. However, a loan move to the Hammers would benefit both Gilmour and West Ham greatly.
As it stands, the Hammers are only safe on goal difference. They’ve been a mid-table Premier League club for the last few seasons, but never flirted with relegation as much as they are this season. In the aftermath of Coronavirus, West Ham will struggle to fund moves along with many other clubs around Europe. Assuming Rice is sold—to Chelsea or elsewhere—a loan move may be the best route to take to replace the midfielder. Gilmour provides a spark in the middle of the park, possessing the ability to take over a match at any point. This type of player is perfect for the Hammers.
This move is a match made in heaven from Chelsea’s perspective. Gilmour is a rising star out of the Blues’ academy. He showed the world he was ready for first team football at Chelsea in every match he appeared in this season. However, he is not yet good enough to compete with the likes of players like Mateo Kovacic and N’Golo Kante for starting roles. With Ruben Loftus-Cheek coming back healthy, Mason Mount well rested, Ross Barkley in top form and Philippe Coutinho potentially moving to Chelsea, Gilmour’s unlikely to see the pitch very often next year.
Rather than riding the bench on the Chelsea first team, a loan represents the Scot’s best option. Gilmour, unlike so many other Chelsea academy players, has already surpassed the Championship level, however. A move to England’s second division is below Gilmour now. Only a loan move to a top flight European team would suffice.
West Ham presents a wonderful opportunity for a young player with as much talent as Gilmour. He wouldn’t have to move across Europe or even to a different part of the country; he’d stay in London. Futher, Moyes is an experienced manager who shares a common birthplace with Gilmour. That’s just the personal side of things. On the pitch, Gilmour would be in contention to start—if not a sure-fire starter—every week. He’d be surrounded by some quality players in a struggle to stay up. What’s not to love about this loan?
What began as a Moyes joke has the potential to snowball into a legitimate opportunity for all parties involved. Should West Ham seek a loan for the 18-year-old, the move represents the chance for Gilmour to get some experience in the Premier League and offers West Ham a glimmer of hope.