Chelsea have been hammered for their use of the loan system over the last few seasons, given that the very few players have made it through to appear in the first team over the years.

The club currently have a staggering 37 players away from the club on a temporary basis, with Nathan Ake and Charly Musonda having just returned from Bournemouth and Real Betis respectively.

Defender Ake, who was recalled as cover for Marcos Alonso in the first team, had been excelling under Eddie Howe, who has watched his side go on to concede on a worryingly regular basis since the Belgian’s departure.

The development squads at Chelsea have excelled in terms of silverware over the last few seasons, however, it has had little impact on the first team.

Whilst the likes of Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Nathaniel Chalobah are seeing gametime here and there, no academy player has had the chance to establish themselves in the first team since John Terry.

However, that could be about to change.

Midfielder Lewis Baker, who is a year and a half through his two-year loan spell with Eredivisie side Vitesse Arnhem, has been impressing regularly and has become a mainstay for the Dutch outfit.

Whilst the standard of football that the 21-year-old has been playing at since being away from the club is not quite at that of the Premier League, regular first team football for such a long period can only have done him good.

With the likes of Patrick Bamford having been sold off recently without a single appearance in the first team, it would be short-sighted to sell Baker without a run in the side, given his performances.

Fans at Stamford Bridge, whilst obviously delighted with this season’s successes, will be desperate to see a home-grown player at the heart of their side.

Baker has been a prominent figure at Vitesse this term, chipping in with 12 goals and three assists, whilst also growing into a key player in the England U21 setup.

The likes of Nemanja Matic and N’Golo Kante are immovable in the midfield as it stands, such has been the level of their performances, however, the departure of the more creative and forward-thinking Oscar, has left a gap for Baker to exploit.

It will be a big ask to make the step up from the Eredivisie to the top of the Premier League, but come next season Antonio Conte will have the added pressures that European football brings and will need to utilise the entirety of his squad.

There are few players that would grab the opportunity to impress the Italian quicker than Baker and it is about time the fans at the Bridge saw one of their own make a real impact on their side’s fortunes.