Billy Gilmour – two words that have slowly seeped their way into the Italian football lexicon.

The softly spoken Scotsman didn’t arrive in Naples with the noise and hype that followed Scott McTominay through the arrival doors of Capodochino airport, but, much like his lowkey arrival, the 23-year-old has quietly gone about his business in a Napoli side brimming with world-class midfielders.

On the verge of making his 23rd appearance in the Italian top flight, Gilmour sat down with Lega Serie A to discuss his debut season in Naples, the city of pizza and sunshine.

“My favourite thing living in Naples has definitely got to be the weather,” Gilmour told Serie A’s Youtube Channel, in a chat labelled A Scottish Man in Naples. “I’m from the UK, so I don’t really see much sun, and the weather’s really nice, and the city’s very, very busy.”

Gilmour signed for Napoli from Brighton, located on the southern beaches of England, roughly four hours by ferry to European shores.

After five years of cutting his teeth in the Premier League, the Scottish international jumped at the chance to move to Italy on Deadline Day last summer.

Like so many Brits seeking new adventures in exotic places, Gilmour felt the pull of Italy’s allure.

“My expectation for coming here was to try something new,” he said. “Of course, the Premier League is an amazing league, and I wanted to try playing abroad. The opportunity came up, so I wanted to come and give my all and experience something new.

“I think the language, would just be the biggest culture shock. Of course, I’m trying my hardest to learn the language so I can understand more.”

Despite the language barrier, the former Chelsea player has displayed impeccable comprehension when it comes to Antonio Conte’s instructions, earning him 11 starts along with the manager’s trust.

Having signed a five-year deal, Gilmour still has plenty of time to gain fluency, but that doesn’t mean he won’t be pushed by his peers.

“I got told off,” Gilmour said. “I got told not to listen to songs. If I’m going to learn Italian, learn it properly. So, I just listen to a couple of songs in the changing room. I really liked it. I was told it was Neapolitan.”  

Expectations should be low if Gilmour chooses a Pino Daniele track at the next team-bonding karaoke night. Meanwhile, he wisely refused to divulge the few controversial phrases passed on to him by new Neapolitan friends.

When asked if he’s picked up any local dialect he admitted:”Yeah, but I don’t think they’re good words to say!”

Despite his reluctance to share these new terms, Gilmour could still be forgiven for filling up the swear jar – especially following one of Conte’s notoriously excruciating training sessions. The Napoli tactician, known for curse words on the touchline, only signs players he believes can align with his belief system.

“It’s a very tactical league, and I think until you actually play in it, you don’t understand how hard the league is and how tactical you need to be,” Gilmour added.

The wave of talented Scottish footballers crashing through Serie A is unprecedented and doesn’t appear to be subsiding any time soon. For Gilmour, that means having a compatriot in the team dressing room – and others on the end of a phone to compare experiences.

“Having Scott (McTominay) in the team is really helpful,” he said. “Of course, I know him from playing with Scotland and playing against him, but it does help you a lot – a friendly face and someone you can speak to. In the league, we’ve got Lewis Ferguson, Che Adams also, and (Liam) Henderson.

“I speak to Lewis quite a bit, and I know he’s been out here for a good couple of years now. And he’s enjoying it, and he can always say positive things about the league.”

Gilmour’s first brush with an Italian coach was, in fact, Conte. The two crossed paths when the Premier League-winning coach was in charge at Stamford Bridge in 2017.

“I had Antonio Conte when I was younger,” said Gilmour. “I trained only a couple of times with him. Now, working with him every day, he’s very intense, his standards are always high, and he pushes you to the max.

“And, for us as a team, we know it’s good for us, and we want to try and give our all to do our best this season.”

Three wins in a row sees Napoli at the top of Serie A, with four games to play. Three points separate the Partenopei from Inter, with Atalanta trailing by nine. Gilmour recalled the key moment that put his side in command.

Asked about a possible turning point, Gilmour said: “You could maybe see against Atalanta away where they go up a goal, and we end up coming back and fighting. I think that shows how good the spirit is in this team. We always fight until the end, and, so far this season, we just keep going game by game and see how it goes.”

Two years ago, Neapolitans filled the streets from Fuorigrotta to Quartieri Spagnoli and beyond to celebrate a much-awaited Scudetto under Luciano Spalletti. In 2025, it could all erupt again.

“We have the fans that are crazy,” Gilmour said. “And I’ve experienced a few journeys when we’re coming off the bus to the airport or coming back to the stadium, and they give 100% support.

“For a player, it only makes you want to go and do the best you can for the team and for the fans. They’re there every week supporting us and hoping we do well.”

Conte’s arrival last June reassured Napoli fans that Aurelio De Laurentiis was serious about mounting a challenge for the top spots, perhaps Champions League qualification at best – ambitious considering last season’s forgettable tenth-place finish.

Eleven months later, Neapolitans believe in a fourth Serie A title, a resolute faith which has spread throughout the entire Azzurri diaspora. Glory on Vesuvian soil will establish ‘Billy Gilmour’ as an everyday part of the Italian football vernacular, his effigy immortalised throughout the neighbourhood streets of Toledo.

Title-winning teams need a cool head on the field, and Gilmour’s calm, intelligent demeanour has convinced Conte to include him in the line-up more often. Incredibly, Napoli have only lost one of the eleven matches Gilmour has started in, a trend that could see the boy from North Ayrshire lift silverware at the Stadio Diego Maradona three weeks from now.

“The ultimate goal as a football player is to win as many trophies as possible,” he said. “I think in Naples I’ve got a good chance of doing that – playing a lot of games and getting into the top competitions.”