Stoke City struck gold with the free signing of Chelsea outcast Lewis Baker | OneFootball

Lewis Baker joined Stoke in January 2022 on a free transfer from Chelsea and quickly established himself as a fan favourite with Potters fans.

Lewis Baker joined Stoke City in January 2022 on a free transfer from Chelsea, and quickly became a fan favourite among Potters supporters.

Baker joined the youth ranks of Chelsea from Luton Town in 2005 as a 10-year-old, and climbed his way up the ranks until he reached the first team, making his debut for the club in the FA Cup in a 2-0 away victory over Derby County in January 2014.

From there, Baker found game time in the Blues first team tough to come by, and played predominantly for the club's Under-21 side, where he was a prolific goalscorer from midfield.

It was in January 2015 that the former England youth international went out on his first of a series of loan spells, making four appearances for Sheffield Wednesday before being recalled by Chelsea a month later and sent back out on loan to MK Dons.

From there, Baker's loan journey was well and truly underway, heading out on a two-year loan spell to Vitesse Arnhem in the Netherlands in 2015.

He'd return to English football two years later, this time heading out on consecutive loans to Middlesbrough, Leeds United and Reading, before heading back abroad with Fortuna Düsseldorf and then Trabzonspor.

Baker would spend the first half of the 2021/22 season in Chelsea's reserves before Stoke's then-manager, Michael O'Neill, decided to bring him to the club, this time on a permanent basis.

Lewis Baker made an electric start to his Stoke City career

In just his first half-season with the Potters, Baker scored eight times and assisted a further two in 21 Championship games from midfield, earning himself a fresh three-year contract at the end of the season.

He made such an impression in his short stint in Staffordshire, that he was appointed as the club's captain for the upcoming 2022/23 season, going on to score seven times and grab five assists in 44 Championship matches.

Injuries would hinder his 2023/24 season, and he would eventually fall out of favour under Steven Schumacher, heading out on-loan to Blackburn Rovers for the first half of the 2024/25 campaign.

Mark Robins would recall Baker following his appointment at the club in January 2025, and he would immediately be integrated back into the side, scoring crucial goals at home to Swansea City, away to Preston North End and at home to Luton Town.

Lewis Baker has found a new lease of life under Mark Robins

At the time of writing, Stoke have enjoyed their best start to a season for 27 years, winning each of their opening three fixtures in the Championship against Derby County, Sheffield Wednesday and Southampton, with Baker starting all three games and grabbing two goals already.

In 23 appearances under Robins, Baker has scored eight goals from midfield, cementing himself as an integral part of the side with his ability to grab a goal from nothing.

Now 30-years-old, Baker has played for Stoke by far the most during his career, with 38 goal contributions in 116 games from midfield to date, a record that many strikers struggle to achieve.

A player who undoubtedly held Premier League potential, you can't help but wonder whether the series of loans hindered his development, with him never finding a permanent home until Stoke came calling.