Lewis Baker is back in Turkey after Bursaspor completed his signing following his release by Stoke City at the end of last season. The 31-year-old midfielder spent the 2020-21 campaign on loan at Trabzonspor, so this move restores a link he already had with Turkish football. He also arrives with 17 England Under-21 caps from 2015 to 2017, which gives Bursaspor a player with a decent amount of top-level academy and international experience.
Bursaspor's case for the signing
Enes Celik’s pitch for the move was fairly direct. The Bursaspor president said Baker can play as a number six and number eight, added that he is good at set-pieces, and pointed to his time with Chelsea and Trabzonspor.
That profile makes sense for a club looking for a midfielder who can fill more than one role. Baker is not being brought in as a pure specialist, and Bursaspor do not seem to be pretending otherwise. The appeal is the combination of versatility, dead-ball quality and familiarity with the country.
Stoke City's exit and the Turkey return
BBC Sport described Baker as a former England Under-21 and Chelsea midfielder joining the Turkish side after being released by Stoke City. That release at the end of last season is the key detail here, because this is not a sale or a big-money chase, just a free move into a market he already knows.
Stoke’s recent record adds a little context to the departure. They won two of their last five listed matches, with one draw and two defeats in that run. Bursaspor’s form context is thinner, with only one accessible listed result in the pack, a 0-0 draw with Chikhura Sachkhere in the UEFA Europa League.
For Baker, the immediate point is simpler than any wider reading. He is 31, he has the Turkish connection already, and Bursaspor have clearly targeted him for what he can do in midfield rather than any lingering name value from Chelsea. The next public marker will be how quickly he settles into their squad.
Written by Sam Whitfield with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 1 outlet. How we work →
