Lewis Baker ready for Chelsea first team after stunning campaign for England U21s and Vitesse
Our friends at Football Whispers profile the 22-year-old who could be set for a breakout summer with England Under-21
THERE are few football fans in the world who could name every member of Chelsea’s loan army.
But one that does immediately come to mind is Lewis Baker.
The midfielder has spent the previous two seasons on loan at the Blues’ unofficial sister club Vitesse Arnhem and has developed a reputation as a scorer of great goals.
He will return to Chelsea this summer ready to fight for his place in the first-team squad.
But before that comes the Under-21 European Championships and Baker is a key part of the England midfield.
Our friends at Football Whispers profile the 22-year-old who could be set for a breakout summer.
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Who is Lewis Baker?
Luton-born Baker started out his career with his hometown club before moving to Chelsea in 2005 after impressing in a youth football tournament.
Baker rose through the age groups at Cobham and helped the Blues to victory at the Milk Cup in August 2010. He made his Under-18s debut soon after while still a schoolboy.
The 2011/12 campaign saw Baker establish himself in the Under-18s side. He made 30 appearances, scored seven goals and played a key role in helping Chelsea clinch the 2012 FA Youth Cup.
It was clear the following season that Baker was quickly outgrowing academy football. In his nine appearances for the Under-18s he struck four times while ten games in the Under-19 NextGen Series, in which Chelsea reached the final, resulted in Baker adding a further four goals to his tally.
He made the step up to Under-21 football during the 2012/13 campaign. It was an effortless transition for a player who was developing a burgeoning reputation and Baker ended the season with six goals in 16 matches.
His development accelerated during the 2013/14 campaign. Baker again represented the club at Under-19 and Under-21 level and struck 18 times in 33 games across the age groups.
He helped the Blues win Under-21 Premier League, netting in the final against Manchester United, and claimed the club’s Goal of the Season award with an outrageous backheel against Arsenal.
More importantly, however, Baker was handed his first-team debut in January 2014, coming on as a substitute in an FA Cup third round tie against Derby County.
And the following summer he, along with Dominic Solanke and Izzy Brown, was given a glowing recommendation by then Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho.
“My conscience tells me that if, for example, Baker, Brown, and Solanke are not national team players in a few years, I should blame myself,” Mourinho said.
“They are part of a process the club started without me. In this moment, we have players who will be Chelsea players. And when they become Chelsea players, they will become England players, almost for sure.”
But Mourinho didn’t give Baker an opportunity to prove him right. He was loaned out twice during the 2014/15 season, first to Sheffield Wednesday and then MK Dons, where he would play alongside Dele Alli.
A season-long loan stint at Vitesse followed and he impressed. Baker earned his first England Under-21 cap in September 2015 and was a crucial part of the side who were victorious at the Toulon tournament last summer – Baker was the competition’s top scorer with four goals.
But, yet again, there was no space for him at Chelsea and he headed for a second stint at Vitesse. Last season he scored 15 goals in all competitions, in addition to registering seven assists, and helped the club win the KNVB Cup for the first time in their history.
Is Baker ready for Chelsea?
The simple answer is yes.
Chelsea’s entire loan structure is about testing their young players in different environments.
It helps them develop as players and grow as people, and Baker has passed all the challenges presented to him.
In the Eredivisie last season only nine players played more key passes per game than Baker (1.8) and he also averaged 2.6 shots, the joint tenth highest in the division, per match.
That is partly down to his ability with both feet. Baker is, naturally, right footed but is so comfortable using his left that he takes corners and free-kicks with it.
It’s a mark of the confidence he has in his ability but is also a useful weapon as opposition players can’t force Baker into situations on the field where he would be uncomfortable playing passes.
He will return to Chelsea this summer a well-rounded player, one that is more than capable of holding down a position in the Blues’ first-team squad next season.
But first comes an important assignment; the Under-21 European Championships.
Baker has started every game in the heart of England’s midfield, helping the Three Lions to win their group.
He is a player who, due to his prowess with either foot and knack of scoring from midfield, naturally stands out.
And if he does in Poland, then Chelsea’s hand may just be forced.
If they don’t give him the chance to shine then there are likely to be plenty of top sides, both at home and abroad, that will.