Chelsea, the London heavyweights, are arguably the one who have a plethora of talents in their ranks but have failed miserably to promote them and hand enough first-team experience in senior football. These youngsters are roaming on loan for years and eventually compromised their dream of representing the Blues at a senior level in order to settle in and play week in week out elsewhere.
Lewis Baker, the 23-year-old England youth international, belongs to the list who progressed through the academy ranks but spent his time on loan at home and abroad and is now set for yet another season-long spell, this time in West Yorkshire, to be a part of Marcelo Bielsa’s Leeds revolution.
Leeds United, once esteemed English giants, witnessed a massive downslide in past decade and became a mere midtable Championship outfit in due course. They had glimpses of hope under Garry Monk a couple of seasons back, but the surprise step down of the Swansea City great brought the Whites back to square one.
Owner Andrea Radrizzani’s gamble of appointing little-known Thomas Christiansen as Monk’s successor failed miserably despite a bright start last year and his inevitable dismissal did not alter things much under Paul Heckingbottom, the ex-Barnsley boss, who managed to clinch only four wins in his less than four months in charge at Elland Road.
Radrizzani, meanwhile, has done Leeds a massive favour now by convincing the iconic mastermind Marcelo Bielsa to take charge of the struggling Peacocks and his appointment has uplifted the dejected fans once again who are keen on a return to Premier League after years of anguish and despair.
Bielsa, known as one of the pioneers of modern-day football, is hailed by the greatest of managers of current time and his philosophy and foresight will see a turnaround if implemented properly. But he needs resources, young and energetic, who will exhibit those on the pitch and Baker is viewed as the one who ticks many boxes to fit in El Loco’s ideology.
Baker, who prefers to operate from a central midfield role, made only one substitute cup appearance under Mourinho but made a massive impact for Dutch outfit Vitesse, Chelsea’s sister club, where he enjoyed two successful years despite a couple of uneventful loan spells at Sheffield Wednesday and MK Dons the season before.
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The Englishman, meanwhile, had a mixed experience at Middlesbrough last season where he featured regularly under Monk but the ex-Leeds manager’s dismissal and the appointment of Tony Pulis saw him losing his place at Riverside. Only Time will tell whether he earns a first-team status at Elland Road, however, the midfield prodigy needs to channelize his enormous talent and produce something spectacular during pre-season to become a towering figure in Leeds midfield.
