There were contrasting fortunes for Chelsea's stars on Thursday evening. As Jorginho crashed out of World Cup qualifying with Italy, Billy Gilmour found his way back onto the pitch to help earn Scotland a draw against Poland in their friendly international. Both players were victims of late goals from the opposition but the stakes were a great deal higher for the Italian midfielder.
The Blues' midfield maestro went from a successful stint at Stamford Bridge over the latest stretch of the season as Chelsea qualified for the Champions League quarter-finals and FA Cup semi-finals to World Cup heartbreak, while Gilmour was able to escape his Norwich struggles with an authoritative performance for the Tartan Army.
The 20-year-old only played two minutes in Norwich's defeat to Leeds and has been in and out of the starting line up since his return from an ankle injury. Even when in Dean Smith's chosen XI things have proven difficult. The Canaries have lost six Premier League matches in a row, and Gilmour's influence somewhat diminished.
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Against Southampton, the young Scot consistently showed for the ball in midfield, looked to play quickly from the back and to make something happen. However, he was not dictating the tempo of the game, and operated on a different wavelength as a result. He didn't play badly as such, but his potential seemed shackled.
His role appeared very different on the national stage however. While the Canaries often have to settle with the possession the opposition allow them to have, Scotland edged the statistic against Poland, and Gilmour was at the core of that. His clearance off the line may have been the standout moment
Gilmour has been lavished with praise throughout his development: Frank Lampard was a chief proponent of the youngster, Jurgen Klopp labelled him one of the biggest Scottish talents in the last 50 years, while Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink has identified him as the player to take Jorginho's place.
The Dutch forward said: "Chelsea bought Jorginho a few years ago and they now have this boy coming through and I think he will take Jorginho’s place. He has more [about him] than Jorginho. He is a really, really good talent.”
Glenn Hoddle had a similar thought following England vs Scotland in the summer of 2021. The former Blues boss said: "He’s instantly the replacement for Jorginho at Chelsea, they won’t have to look in the market for someone because he is already there, learning and developing into a great player."
It's not uncommon for Jorginho to be linked with a move away from Stamford Bridge, and it's almost a staple of the international break. On this occasion, the 30-year-old's agent, Joao Santos, told Tuttomercatoweb: "Playing in Serie A is a dream for him and his heart remains here. As things stand today, he could play for four or five clubs: Milan, Inter, Juve, Roma or Napoli.
"There are many clubs interested in him. In the past I spoke to PSG, Barcelona and also Milan’s Ricky Massara. I don’t know if the Rossoneri are still interested, though. The fact remains, we can’t do anything now because Chelsea are not allowed to sell, buy or renew contracts. Jorginho has a contract until June 2023, after the World Cup we’ll see about working on a renewal."
With just over 12 months on his deal, there doesn't appear to be the intention to resolve Jorginho's position this summer. Chelsea can still get ahead of the issue, however, to avoid the situation that has emerged with Antonio Rudiger, Cesar Azpilicueta and Andreas Christensen. Gilmour provides that opportunity.
However, the former Rangers academy star finds himself in the situation with a contract set to expire in 2023. Some might consider his year at Carrow Road as setting back his chance but as Dean Smith has acknowledged, the youngster has added more to his game, while being the perfect professional.
His Scotland performances appear to show that he has not lost a step, and come the summer, the youngster will have his opportunity to persuade Thomas Tuchel of his merit, just as Trevoh Chalobah did in 2021. A place in the Bues' squad in 2022/23 and a new contract could be there for the taking.
