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Chelsea youngster Billy Gilmour says Barcelona legend Andres Iniesta was "always" his idol

Billy Gilmour

Chelsea midfielder Billy Gilmour has revealed that Andres Iniesta was his hero while he was growing up.

The 18-year-old wonderkid was named man of the mmatch in the Blues' last two encounters, an FA Cup victory over Liverpool and Sunday's 4-0 thrashing of Everton in the Premier League.

“It was always Iniesta," he told BBC Sport when asked who his idol was. “I just loved the way he played, how he got the ball, passing the ball.

“I like to get on the ball, drop deep a lot and create play. I’ve always been told to work hard and everything else will fall in place.”

Gilmour made his Premier League debut in August's 2-2 draw with Sheffield United but had to remain patient for game time thereafter.

His brilliant performance against Liverpool earlier this month earned the Scot a place in Lampard's XI for the visit of Everton last weekend.

“No I never expected it at all," he added. “I thought I was going to be in the Under-23s all season, but I went with the first team in pre-season and did really well.

“We came back and I was training with them a lot, and then the gaffer put me in the squad for the Sheffield [United] game. I was buzzing!”

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Greg Lea

Greg Lea is a freelance football journalist who's filled in wherever FourFourTwo needs him since 2014. He became a Crystal Palace fan after watching a 1-0 loss to Port Vale in 1998, and once got on the scoresheet in a primary school game against Wilfried Zaha's Whitehorse Manor (an own goal in an 8-0 defeat).