Matt Baker has been reunited with Newport County after the Stoke City defender agreed a season-long loan deal with the Exiles on transfer deadline day, subject to EFL approval.
Baker, 20, played a major role in securing Newport’s League Two status last season after joining the club on loan in January and making 18 appearances in the heart of Graham Coughlan’s defence.
Now the Welsh Under-21 international is back in Newport, he stated that he is “excited to be back and cannot wait to get amongst the lads.”
Baker, who is carrying a slight knock picked up in training, is ineligible for tomorrow’s game due to today’s EFL noon deadline.
Baker started his career at Gillingham where he progressed through the youth ranks before completing a move to Stoke in the summer of 2021 where he captained the Potters' Under-21s in Premier League 2.
Born in Kent, Baker qualified for Wales through his Narberth grandmother and captained his country in the Under-17 European Championships against Slovenia and Holland. He also skippered the Under-19s in the Euro qualifiers against Georgia, Norway and Kosovo in 2021.
His call-up to the Welsh Under-21 side came in March when he made his debut in the 3-0 friendly win over Scotland in Spain.
And after impressing in Exiles amber last season, Newport boss Graham Coughlan was delighted to welcome him back to Rodney Parade.
“Matt wanted to come back. In fact, he never wanted to leave,’’ he explained. “When you have players like that who are desperate to play for this football club it’s a no-brainer.
“He gives us good coverage in two or three different positions, and he knows what we are all about. He’s a great addition and the more good men we have in the trenches with us the better chance we have of fighting the war.’’
Are you interested in sponsoring Matt Baker’s shirt for the upcoming season? Please contact Debra.Henderson@newport-county.co.uk.