Billy Gilmour to hold Chelsea future talks with Thomas Tuchel after dropping to Under-23s tour

Billy Gilmour will hold talks with Thomas Tuchel over his Chelsea future after dropping down from the first team’s tour of the United States.

Scotland midfielder Gilmour has joined Chelsea’s Under-23s tour in Salt Lake, rather than travelling to Charlotte and Orlando, after being told he would not play by Tuchel.

The move to send Gilmour to the U23s, with Harvey Vale, Tino Anjorin and Armando Broja also leaving the first team tour, could raise questions over why unwanted senior players such as Michy Batshuayi, Ross Barkley and Kenedy have remained with Tuchel’s squad.

With Broja set to join West Ham United, it now seems highly likely that Gilmour will leave Chelsea on loan for a second successive season and the 21-year-old will discuss his future with Tuchel when the pair both return to England.

Everton manager Frank Lampard is a big admirer of Gilmour and could try to take him on loan to Goodison Park, although it is believed Everton also have different midfield targets.

Gilmour experienced a difficult season on loan at Norwich City last season, when the club were relegated and he became the target of abuse from a section of supporters during a poor run of results.

Asked if that would put him off going on loan again this season, Gilmour said: “I’m a confident player. I’m back at Chelsea working hard in pre-season and then see what happens at the end. I’ve not had any conversation (with the manager) yet. I just need to wait and see when he speaks to me.”

Chelsea will be careful about where the club send Gilmour, whose contract runs to 2024, on loan after his experience at Norwich, when his family were forced to stop watching him play.

While Gilmour insisted he can come back stronger from his difficult season on loan, he