Why Thomas Tuchel sanctioned Billy Gilmour's Chelsea exit after disappointing Norwich loan

Thomas Tuchel has revealed why he allowed Billy Gilmour to leave Chelsea and sign for Brighton on transfer deadline day.

The 21-year-old put an end to his Chelsea career after initially not being given a squad number ahead of the new season.

Gilmour did appear in the matchday squad as Chelsea faced Southampton but this did not result in his final appearance for the Blues, failing to make it off the bench despite several midfield absentees.

Instead, the Scotland international moved to Brighton for a fee reported to be £9 million on transfer deadlined day, with Chelsea's loan signing of Denis Zakaria granting the youngster's exit.

Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel appears frustrated during the Premier League match at St Mary's Stadium. (Alamy)

The sale led to some discomfort among the Chelsea fanbase, with several users taking to Twitter to voice their opinions.

With Brighton already loaning Levi Colwill from Stamford Bridge this season in a deal Chelsea were desperate to ensure was not a permanent one, the Blues could not send Gilmour on loan to Brighton.

Tuchel has now revealed why the move was sanctioned as one of Chelsea's most promising youngsters will find first team football elsewhere.

Speaking to the press, as quoted by The Evening Standard, Tuchel revealed: “We had high hopes (for him) and he played for us in the first half a year when I was at Chelsea.

“He played some important matches for us and looked for a new challenge that did not go so well for him with Norwich.

“We expected more, he expected more so it was like, without pointing a finger, but it is difficult also for him and for us to not succeed, to not play at Norwich, to be relegated and then suddenly be a central midfielder for Chelsea and competing for top four and for every title.

“There’s a huge step in between so we were looking, the ideal solution would have been maybe that he goes again on loan as the concurrence is huge for us in central midfield.

"We felt like he is not the age where he can live again with five or six or seven matches during a whole season to fulfill his own potential so ideally, it would have been another loan.

“Billy did not want to go on loan, it was a no-go for him so in the end, we agreed to a sale.”

Billy Gilmour training at the Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. (Chelsea FC)

Chelsea acted fast to secure the loan signing of Zakaria from Juventus, who has taken the number 20 shirt upon his arrival in London.

Ethan Ampadu also departed, but on a loan move to Serie A side Spezia.

Tuchel will be hoping that the decision to allow Gilmour to leave does not come back to bite his side, with the Scotland international keen to prove a point on the coast.

With the transfer window shut, Tuchel and Chelsea are aware of their squad for the season as they look to compete on all fronts.