Mark Robins u-turn at Stoke City? Lewis Baker action must be taken | OneFootball

Lewis Baker is out of contract at Stoke City this summer, and Mark Robins should offer him fresh terms to stay with the club

Stoke City's hopes of Premier League football next season seem to have faded after a promising start to the campaign, and preparations for next year will have already begun in the Potteries.

Stoke are looking to finally break their curse of finishing outside the bottom half for the previous nine years this campaign, and though their hopes of a top six finish looked to have evaporated, a top half finish is still within their grasp.

However, all things considered, this season will be looked back upon as a missed opportunity for Mark Robins' side, who at one point were challenging Coventry City and Middlesbrough at the summit of the table in the early stages.

A rough patch of form has seen them plummet down the standings, though, as preparations for next year will have already begun to ensure that they are even stronger next time around.

Contract talks for players whose deals are set to expire this summer are already underway, and there is one crucial piece of business Robins must get sorted heading into next campaign regarding one of their star midfielders.

Stoke City must offer Lewis Baker fresh terms to remain with the club amid contract expiry

Lewis Baker joined Stoke in January 2022, and since then, he has been one of the club's most important figures under numerous managers.

Signed under current Northern Ireland and Blackburn Rovers boss Michael O'Neill, Baker scored eight goals and grabbed two assists in 21 Championship games in his first season at the club, helping the Potters to maintain their Championship status.

A Chelsea academy product, Baker spent his entire professional career with the Blues, heading out on loan to as many as eight different clubs across that period, but never nailing down a place at Stamford Bridge, and was allowed to leave to join Stoke permanently on a free transfer.

The 30-year-old was sent out on loan during the first half of the 2024/25 season to Blackburn Rovers, with then-boss Steven Schumacher not fancying the midfielder, but upon Robins' arrival in January 2025, one of his actions was to recall Baker to the club.

He has since hit double digits in goals from midfield under Robins, and when fit, is one of the first names on the team sheet.

Unfortunately for him, Robins, and Stoke, he sustained an ankle injury after their 1-0 home defeat to Coventry City and has been out of action since then.

Before his injury, Stoke won eight of their 12 league games with Baker in the side, a win percentage of 66%, and prior to their home tie against Sheffield Wednesday, they played 27 league games without him, winning just six, a win percentage of just 22%.

With him in the side, the Potters were in automatic promotion form, and without him, they have been in relegation form, highlighting his importance to the side.

Now, of course, his injury hasn't been the only factor in Stoke's demise this year, but it's certainly been a contributing factor, having particularly missed his ability to find a long-range goal out of nowhere being sorely missed.

Despite being 31 at the end of the season and his injury struggles this year, it would be remiss of Stoke to not consider offering him fresh terms, given they are quite clearly a better side with him on the pitch.

Robins must ensure this blunder is not made and offer him at least another year with the club, as it would be difficult to argue that he has not earned it.

Mark Robins must tie Lewis Baker down to a fresh Stoke City deal as preparations for next season begin

Having seen their chances of a top-six finish slip away from their reach this time around, few will be more frustrated with this outcome than Robins.

The 56-year-old did an incredible job with Coventry City to take them from the fourth tier to the brink of the Premier League, and he will be hoping to achieve what he couldn't with them at Stoke instead.

Robins will likely be back with a vengeance next time around, and preparing for how his squad may look heading into next season will have already begun.

Baker should be involved in those plans, given his performances under Robins, and must urge the club to offer him fresh terms to prevent him from leaving on a free transfer.

Although he is beginning to reach past his prime, only a fool would deny Baker's undoubted ability, and though he may be unable to play every single minute from here on out, his tendency to find a goal from nowhere is game-changing, and something Stoke cannot afford to lose.