Stoke City defender Matt Baker wanted by Cheltenham Town

Cheltenham Town are keen on a loan swoop for Stoke City defender Matt Baker.

 

The 20-year-old is also wanted by League Two sides MK Dons and Salford City according to reports.

Gloucestershire Live can confirm the Wales Under-21 international is a leading target for the League One Robins as they look to add one more central defensive option alongside club captain Sean Long, vastly-experienced summer signing Curtis Davies, Tom Bradbury, Lewis Freestone and Grant Horton.

Baker spent the second half of last season on loan at Newport County AFC in League Two, making 18 appearances.

He was in the Gillingham youth set-up for a decade from the age of eight before joining Stoke in the summer of 2021, working with newly-appointed Cheltenham assistant manager Kevin Russell during his time coaching the Championship club’s Under-21s.

Baker was named on the bench for Stoke’s Championship games against Hull and QPR in September last year.

He captained Wales in the 2017 Under-17 European Championships against Slovenia and Holland and then skippered the Under-19s against Georgia, Norway and Kosovo in 2021.

The Robins play Bristol City on Tuesday evening (7.45pm) in their final home pre-season friendly of the summer.

They visit Newport on Saturday (2pm) before kicking off the new League One campaign at Shrewsbury Town a week later.

Cheltenham have made a total of five new signings this summer: Davies, Jamie Pardington, Rob Street, Luke Southwood and Liam Smith.

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It was reported last week that Cheltenham are in a race for the 20-year-old with the League Two duo, as the young defender is set for a loan move away from Stoke City this summer.

However, it is now believed that Graham Alexander’s side are out of the race for the Welshman, who has signed a contract extension at the bet365 Stadium.

The centre-back played alongside another of the Don’s new signings, Cameron Norman, at Newport County last season, spending the second half of the season on loan from the Potters.

Although the heart of the defence is a position the Buckinghamshire-based outfit will look to strengthen ahead of the new season, MK Dons have turned their attentions to other targets, which could include New Zealand international Tommy Smith, who was part of their training camp in Germany following his release from Colchester United.

A product of the Gillingham academy, before a move to Staffordshire in 2021, Baker made his Football League debut whilst on loan for the Exiles last season, appearing 18 times as Newport finished 15th in League Two.

Now only two clubs remain in the hunt for his signature, with Football Insider’s Pete O’Rourke reporting Stoke are keen to send the Welsh U21 international as high up the pyramid as possible, in order to continue his development.

Cheltenham are in the market for a centre-back following the loan expiry of defender Caleb Taylor, who has since returned to West Bromwich Albion.

Writer’s View

With Stoke keen on sending the versatile defender, who can also operate as a defensive midfielder, as high up the leagues as possible, it seems even more likely that Cheltenham have found their new centre-back for the season, now that MK Dons have dropped out of the race.

A new contract suggests Alex Neil sees Baker as one for the future, and having already played at the highest youth level for Wales, he could be a really important addition as the Robins look to establish themselves in League One.