Chelsea midfielder Lewis Baker was set for shock recall to the team until he tested positive for Covid-19 earlier this week. The Stoke City target was on course to make an appearance against West London rivals Brentford in the Carabao Cup quarterfinals until the virus struck. Brentford play hosts to the Blues in one of the three quarterfinal ties scheduled for Wednesday night with a place in the last four up for grabs.
26-year-old Baker was linked with English Championship club Stoke City in the summer and he was on course to make just his second Chelsea appearance in almost eight years before the positive Covid-19 test. He made his Chelsea debut in 2014 and that was his only appearance for the club till date.
The Premier League and ELF have decided to continue with football fixtures despite the rapid rate of Covid-19 cases and Chelsea are one of many clubs who have been hit with a lot of positive Covid-19 cases as seven first team players have been affected. To this effect, The Sun revealed that Chelsea have promoted 12 players from the u-23s to train with the senior team and Baker was one of those players. His one and only Chelsea appearance came as a substitute against Derby County in the FA Cup in January 2014. Afterwards, he has loan spells at Leeds United, Middlebrough, Sheffield Wednesday and Turkish team Trabszonspor. He was seriously linked with Stoke City in the summer as a replacement for John Obi Mikel who was on the pitch with him in the colours of Chelsea when he made his debut.
Premier League clubs have decided to continue with fixtures as long as there are 14 fit players including one goalkeeper meaning that Chelsea will be in action against hosts Aston Villa on Boxing Day on the back of their Carabao Cup last eight clash with Brentford. This explains why Baker and the other Chelsea u-23 team players were added to first team training.