Charlie Gilmour is ready to grasp his opportunity at Norwich City after a season on loan at Dutch second division side SC Telstar.
The 21-year-old Scottish midfielder signed for the Canaries last summer following his release from Arsenal, but was then immediately sent out on loan.
Gilmour has been exposed to the rigours of senior men’s football in the Netherlands, featuring 24 times for the Eerste Divisie side.
The Scot made his Arsenal debut in the Europa League last season, making two cameos in the wins against Quarabag and Vorskla.
Gilmour admits that City were the only club willing to take a chance on him after his Arsenal spell came to an end.
“To be honest, I did not have a handful of options,” he said. “It is also a difficult age in terms of my development when I got let go by Arsenal, and it was tough because I thought I am at one of the best clubs in the world and that I would have options on the table. Because I have not played in the ‘real world’ as they say, ‘men’s football’ it sort of does not benefit me in one way, being at a big club where it is harder for you to get into the first team.
“If you were going to a lower club you would have more chance of playing men’s football and, at the end of the day, most clubs worry about people playing men’s football, whatever standard it is, so I think they value that more than an under 23 team.
“There are pros and cons to everything in life, but that is the biggest difference between the bigger and smaller clubs. I had good vibes about Norwich City because I just love football and I love watching it, and I knew that they bring in players from a young age and they do not spend a lot as you can tell this season in the Premier League,” Gilmour told World Football Index.
City’s production line of young players has aided their cause in attracting fresh talent to Norfolk. Gilmour admits that City’s willingness to develop youth products was a factor in his decision to join the club.
“They have spent practically nothing on players, which is good for young players coming through because they know that the club will not go and spend millions of pounds on a player and that they will give young players a chance. So that was the main reason I signed for the club and I am grateful to them for putting an offer in, and I was excited to get started.”
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