Having starred for Scotland against England at Euro 2020, everything appeared pretty rosy for Billy Gilmour ahead of returning to Chelsea. The midfielder would surely either be given regular game time by Blues head coach Thomas Tuchel or be guaranteed a start at a loan club of Chelsea's choosing.
However, that is not how things have panned out. Despite Tuchel specifically picking Norwich City as the perfect club for the 20-year-old, he has been limited to four starts in the Premier League and has been frozen out since September 18.
Speaking on the scenario facing Gilmour as recently as last week, Tuchel encouraged the prospect to do more to impress Daniel Farke rather than having his head turned by the possibility of a switch elsewhere in January.
Nevertheless, Chelsea will surely have a backup plan in place. With that in mind, Sports Mole suggests five clubs which would be an ideal alternative for the diminutive pass-master.
Where better to develop as a player than at your former club? Gilmour impressing in their academy system ultimately worked against Rangers in the long term, but their respective circumstances right now means that a reunion is not out of the question.
Tuchel's preference is for Gilmour to be used in a similar system to the one that he uses at Chelsea, but he may be prepared to sacrifice that wish if it means Gilmour featuring in a title race and playing in Europe.
Even if Steven Gerrard is not necessarily looking for a new central midfielder in January, it would be difficult to turn down the opportunity to add a key Scotland international to his squad.
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Had Chelsea and Gilmour not made such an early decision with regards to his future during the summer, Wolverhampton Wanderers would have emerged as another potential destination for the youngster.
Missing out on the likes of Renato Sanches and Boubacar Kamara during the final days of the transfer window left Bruno Lage, who uses Tuchel's desired 3-4-3, short of options in the middle of the park.
Although Gilmour would face stiff competition for a starting role, a move to Molineux theoretically suits all parties should circumstances remain the same for the remainder of 2021.
There is the potential for Newcastle United to become somewhat of a circus around the turn of the year, the Magpies inevitably being linked with any world-class player who is made available for transfer.
Much could depend on who eventually takes the reins at St James' Park, but Tuchel may see the benefit of Gilmour being moved into a high-pressure environment.
Newcastle need reinforcements in defensive-minded areas, and the addition of possession-hungry Gilmour is arguably exactly what they need heading into the second half of the season.
LEEDS UNITED
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Such has been Leeds United's high-octane style that only so many players will be deemed to be the perfect fit for a system used by Marcelo Bielsa.
That said, the Yorkshire giants have not looked the same team of 2020-21, something which has left the Argentine to ponder fresh faces during the January window.
Even though the likes of Gilmour and Kalvin Phillips can be classed as the same type of player, there is also the potential for the pair to gel seamlessly if given an opportunity to work in tandem.
A temporary switch to a foreign club is not out of the question, but Tuchel will want to ensure that Gilmour is not travelling anywhere to simply make up the numbers.
Despite the pair offering different physical attributes, Gilmour could be regarded as a replacement for Denis Zakaria, who could be sold for a cut-price fee at the start of next year.
Currently occupying 12th position in the Bundesliga, Monchengladbach need a boost of some sort, and the acquisition of Gilmour is a risk-free way of getting back on track in the short term.
Darren Plant
