Chelsea
have signed Rangers' highly-rated 15-year-old midfielder Billy Gilmour, who
has come through the Scottish club's academy system.
Sky sources understand the development fee being paid to Rangers will be
£500,000 with additional payments due on the attainment of specific career
milestones.
Gilmour, who is regarded as one of the brightest young prospects in Scottish
football, has played for the Rangers U20 side and has trained with the first
team.
But despite the best overtures of manager Pedro Caixinha to persuade him to
stay, the youngster has elected to take his chance with the English
champions-elect.
A Rangers statement read: "We can confirm that agreement has been reached
for our U16 player Billy Gilmour to join Chelsea in the summer.
"The club's preference would have been for Billy to stay at Rangers but when
he made clear his desire to move to the Premier League it was important that
we maximised the commercial value for him. We believe we have done this.
"The agreement will provide Rangers with a significant sum for a young
player who has yet to play first-team football, and further significant
amounts could be due based on milestones being reached.
"We are pleased with this outcome and believe this deal represents good
value for Rangers.
"That he was sought after by many Premiership clubs, and indeed a number of
the largest clubs in Europe, further demonstrates the quality of player now
being produced by the Academy. Everyone at Rangers wishes Billy well for his
future."
Gilmour is not the first to head south from Glasgow to west London at such a
tender age; Islam Feruz left Celtic for Chelsea at 16 in 2011 but has since
spent the bulk of his time out on loan and has yet to make a senior
appearance for the Premier League club.
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