Lewis Baker has long been considered one of the brightest talents in the Chelsea academy. Long before Tammy Abraham and Ruben Loftus-Cheek were emerging, Baker was being talked up as a future starter.
His loan to Middlesbrough this year looked like it might be the moment he has needed, where he could step up his game and play week in week out in a busy and physical league.
But the midfielder has played less and less, and has been left out of the Smoggies’ squads for the last few league games.
Here's the #Boro line-up, brought to you by @Coral
🔴⚪️ #UTB pic.twitter.com/nLEv29HSW6
— Middlesbrough FC (@Boro) November 5, 2017
In the summer Baker came to the end of a two year loan at Vitesse, and having played regularly then looked ready to step up. Some even speculated that a loan to a promising Premier League club could see him competing to get a chance in the England squad.
Now that looks like a ridiculous idea, and RLC is the one who’s playing in the top division regularly and pushing for a place in Russia.
It’s not over for Baker yet, but time is running out to prove he’s still the talent we thought he was.
