Lewis Baker is heading back to Chelsea against the wishes of Leeds United, according to the Yorkshire Evening Post.
Football Insider broke the news on Tuesday evening that the attacking midfielder’s deal is to be imminently terminated and the YEP now claim that Leeds are “yet to be notified” of the London club’s intention to activate the recall option in his season-long loan.
The regional newspaper report “Leeds were not seeking to send Baker back to London in this transfer window” and are now “open” to recruiting a replacement number 10.
OPINION
United have certainly not had much luck with number 10s this season. Samuel Saiz abruptly quit for Getafe last month shortly after being hailed by Marcelo Bielsa as the most gifted player at the club, Izzy Brown has yet to make his Leeds debut 26 matches into the league campaign and his Chelsea pal Baker is now headed back to Stamford Bridge before reportedly making yet another loan move into what is becoming a nomadic career. The word is that Baker is headed to Reading as he looks to make a mark in the Championship following a series of loan moves in the division that have yet to reap dividends. The attacking midfielder has talent, but there must be question marks as to his attitude. He would not have been restricted to just two league starts – despite being named in the matchday squad for all of Leeds’ league matches this season to date – in the midst of a never-ending injury crisis if he was following Marcelo Bielsa’s instructions to the letter. What is certain is that United need to replace him and Saiz. They can’t rely on Brown, and need an alternative playmaker to Pablo Hernandez.