Scotland's Billy Gilmour could be set for a quick escape from Brighton as La Liga side Villarreal contemplate a loan move for the midfielder.
It was expected that the Rangers academy product would kick on when Graham Potter snapped him up for the Seagulls at the end of the summer transfer window. But in an ironic twist of fate, the manager soon joined Chelsea - who Gilmour had just departed - and so far the 21-year-old has struggled for minutes under new manager Roberto De Zerbi.
He's not started a Premier League match and in total over his four substitute appearances, he's played just 13 minutes. Brighton are keen to get him out on loan for regular matches and plenty of top flight Spanish clubs have registered early interest ahead of the window opening up again in January. Villarreal are chief among them and are currently outside the European places but it will be their ambition to break into those.
Yellow Submarine boss Quique Setien has made Gilmour a target as he seeks to bring his own players into the club after replacing Unai Emery in October. De Zerbi has sanctioned the move to allow Gilmour to get more game time and it would make him the latest Scot to try his luck abroad.
The last Scot to play and score in La Liga was Oliver Burke - now at German side Werder Bremen - when he was on loan at Alaves. Aaron Hickey, Josh Doig and Lewis Ferguson meanwhile have had success in Italy.
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