Chelsea teen Billy Gilmour admits he was prepared to leave on-loan this season.

The Scottish midfield talent, just 19, picked up 11 senior appearances for Chelsea last season, benefiting from manager Frank Lampard's penchant for playing homegrown talented youngsters in the first team. But he admitted that his success has come sooner than expected.

"I never thought I would be where I am just now. I thought maybe the next year I would go on loan," Gilmour told the Four Lads Had A Dream Podcast.

"I have always had a plan in my head about coming through the Chelsea academy, trying to get first-team experience and then getting myself in the team.

"The gaffer came in and took the team and Jody Morris and Joe Edwards, who were my youth coaches through Under 18s and 23s, were his assistants.

"I did pre-season with them, after that I was round training with them and then I got into the first-team changing room, which was massive. I was really happy and I made a couple of appearances."