OPINION
With Samuel Saiz destined for the Leeds United exit door in the coming few days, thoughts among supporters have already turned to who can replace him.
The Spaniard has shown flashes of magic during his 18 months at Elland Road and his ability create and score goals, and push the team forward, are matched by few players in the Championship.
Many Leeds fans have put forward the name of Izzy Brown in the 36 hours since it emerged that Saiz is set to return to Spain and join La Liga outfit Getafe.
But, could another Chelsea loanee be an ever better, and more immediate, replacement for number 10 Saiz?
Marcelo Bielsa made it clear at his Thursday media briefing that Brown is not yet ready to feature for the first team after a year out with a knee injury, and will not be in the squad for Saturday’s clash against Bolton Wanderers.
What about Lewis Baker, the 21-times England Under-21 international who has been only a bit-part player since moving from Stamford Bridge on a season-long loan?
He has made just a single Championship start all campaign and accumulated a mere three substitute appearances in the competition since mid-September.
Yet, a telling stat from the club’s Thorp Arch training headquarters suggest that Baker is perfectly suited to the intense and high-energy style demanded by Bielsa.
The Yorkshire Evening Post claim the 23-year-0ld loanee tops the club’s body-fat tests along with Kemar Roofe, Mateusz Klich and Adam Forshaw, and well under the 10 per cent benchmark set by Leeds and the elite Premier League outfits.
Baker is more of a playmaker and attacking midfielder than he is, say, a rival for Kalvin Phillips or Forshaw in a deeper role.
He is yet to make a real impact in England’s second tier but his statistics for the Chelsea youth sides and Dutch club Vitesse Arnhem are extremely impressive.
At the Eredivisie team, Baker scored 20 goals and supplied 11 assists from 73 matches.
Saiz, eat your heart out. Baker could cook up a storm if he gets a regular run of games.