EPL: Graham Potter’s move to Stamford Bridge not ideal for ex-Chelsea star – Paul Barber

Brighton CEO, Paul Barber, believes Graham Potter’s move to Stamford Bridge is not ideal for former Blues midfielder, Billy Gilmour.

Barber also backed Gilmour to take Potter’s exit from Brighton to Chelsea ‘in his stride’.

Gilmour left Chelsea on summer transfer deadline day to move to the Amex Stadium for £9million.

The Scottish youngster was initially unwilling to leave his boyhood club Chelsea but eventually opted to join Brighton after speaking to Potter, with Thomas Tuchel giving him the green light to leave the west London club.

Potter unquestionably played a key role in Gilmour joining Brighton and given he is now no longer at the club, questions have been asked about the 21-year-old’s future on the south coast.

“It isn’t ideal, far from ideal,” Barber said, as per SussexLive on Monday.

“But my experience of working with professional footballers for the last 25 years is that they are resilient and pragmatic. They take a lot of support from senior players at the squad. My limited experience of talking to Billy is that he is a very calm and very mature young man.

“He has been around football all his life, and I’m sure he will take this in his stride. He will be helped by the other players and by Andrew Crofts and Shannon Ruth as need be.”