On-loan Baker looking for return to England with Chelsea

Chelsea already saw one hot academy prospect leave the club this week, and with Lewis Baker insisting he is desperate to return to England, they could be set to lose another.

England under-20 striker Dominic Solanke followed the path of Daniel Sturridge and Joe Cole before him, leaving Stamford Bridge to join Premier League rivals Liverpool.

Chelsea have forged a reputation for not giving their starlets – so successful at youth level – a chance in the first team, with some young talents finding themselves as perennial loanees.

But after two seasons on loan at Vitesse Arnhem – where this season he helped the Dutch club to their first piece of silverware in their 125-year history – 22-year-old midfielder Baker believes it is time to try and make the grade at the top level of English football.

“Overall I think Chelsea are happy with what I did [on loan]. There are still aspects of my game that I could carry on working on, and I need to keep working day-in-day-out,” he said.

“The past two years that I have been away on loan have been fantastic. The achievements I have made have been unforgettable but we need to just carry on now and keep going as far as possible in my career.

“My family are just as cheerful as me. They were at all my games, they were there in the final so they come every step with me.

“Moving from playing as a kid to now, I am grateful for the people that I have around me. I had a lot of messages after the game, former coaches from Chelsea came to watch. People from the academy too, so it was something that I will never forget.

“The first year [away from Chelsea at Vitesse] was more learning, adapting to living away, adapting to a different league.

“The second year was more producing and showing what I am capable of. I think it has been fantastic to move away and learn different things, but I want to be back in England.”