‘Didn’t want to’: Boehly didn’t want to sell 22-year-old from Chelsea, but Tuchel convinced him to get rid

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Journalist Simon Phillips has claimed to GiveMeSport that Todd Boehly did not want to sell Billy Gilmour this summer.

The Scotland international looked set throughout the entire summer to be on the chopping block, with Thomas Tuchel choosing to drop him from the first team’s tour of the United States during pre-season.

This led to the midfielder not being handed a shirt number originally for the new season, with all signs pointing to an exit.

Boehly wanted to keep Gilmour

There was a brief hope that he had been handed one last chance at Stamford Bridge, as he was included in the travelling squad for Chelsea’s 2-1 defeat to Southampton a week ago.

However, his time at the club came to an end when he was sold to Brighton, with Phillips claiming that Boehly was adamant to keep the Scot in the squad.

He said: “I’m told on this one, Todd Boehly and the other Chelsea owners didn’t want to sell. This was Thomas Tuchel’s decision, and if it all goes wrong, this is all on him.

“I think it’s a big mistake selling Gilmour on a permanent deal unless you’ve got a really good buy-back clause in it, but to reiterate, Boehly wanted to keep Gilmour; Tuchel wanted to sell him and Tuchel was being 100% backed.”

On one hand, supporters will be encouraged by the news that the new owner is completely behind the manager, which he has also shown in the signings made during the American’s first window in charge.

However, fans who have seen the very best of Gilmour in cameo appearances, particularly in his time under Frank Lampard, and will be under the impression that he hasn’t really been awarded these opportunities since, with him enduring a torrid loan spell at a Norwich City side who looked out of their depth during the last campaign.