Former Chelsea midfielder Billy Gilmour has revealed the brutal way in which his Chelsea career was ended by former Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel.

After Gilmour returned to Chelsea following a season on loan at Norwich, the Scotland international has revealed Tuchel asked him to train with the Chelsea reserves.

It was at that point that the midfielder knew his Chelsea career was over. The 22-year-old subsequently joined Brighton in a £7.5million transfer and, after a slow start, has begun to thrive under the tutelage of Roberto De Zerbi.

“When I came back from my loan from Norwich, I came back and had pre-season and I just wasn’t in the plans,” Gilmour told talkSPORT, when asked if he could recall the moment he knew his days at Chelsea were numbered.

“I ended up leaving pre-season with the first-team to go with the reserves. So we were in America for pre-season and then me and two other boys got told there’s not going to be really a chance here, we’re not going to have another opportunity, we’re going to send you with the reserves.

“For me, I was like, right, OK, straight away I knew I wasn’t in the plans, and at that point I was thinking, well, I want to be at a club that really appreciates me and I want to be part of the team. I want to play first-team football. I’ve had a taste for it. I’ve played for my country, so I want to try and push on now.

“For me, it was the right time to leave. I spoke with the manager at the time, Thomas Tuchel, and he thought the same.

“In pre-season, it kind of kept getting more and more that I was going to leave. I wasn’t seeing much chance in the first-team, so I took the decision and said, ‘OK, I want to push on now and do what’s best for me’, and that was to be at a club that appreciates me.

“I want to play football, I want to really settle down and try and find a house and home and be here and give my all.”