Since moving from Chelsea to Stoke City in January 2022, Lewis Baker has been one of the team’s most important players. In eight years with his childhood club, he made just two appearances in the first squad and had eight loan stints, most notably with Vitesse, Reading, and Trabzonspor. At 26, he finally left West London behind permanently in 2022, signing a two-and-a-half year contract with Stoke under then-manager Michael O’Neill. Since then, Baker has played 90 games for the team, showcasing his skills and scoring 19 goals from central midfield as Stoke has failed to advance under three different managers.
However, with Steven Schumacher’s appointment, his impact has diminished, and other midfielders were chosen in the season’s final stretch, which ultimately saw the Potters avoid relegation in the Championship. Schumacher may decide to let him go in order to bring in a midfield player he wants to employ because he has one year left on his contract and will soon turn thirty. He may also be able to sell him for a profit before becoming a free agent the following summer.