‘HOPEFULLY WE GET MORE OUT OF LEWIS OVER A FULL SEASON’

MICHAEL O’neill hopes to see Lewis Baker continue to progress as the midfielder starts his first summer away from Chelsea since he was a boy.

Baker, aged 27, showed his influence and impact in the Championship after joining Stoke on a permanent deal in January - having spent his career up to then on a series of loan deals.

He was sold the prospect of taking a senior role at the bet365 Stadium and it is clear he will be central to the squad going forward. O’neill said: “Lewis made a big financial sacrifice, in the last six months of his contract at Chelsea, to come here in January. “He’s been rewarded for his decision because he’s found a home here. We have to build a better team and Lewis is a massive part of the team we are trying to build.

“Hopefully we can get more out of him over a full season. Towards the end maybe he got a bit tired in games because he wasn’t used to playing in the first half of the season but he is now – and he’s at an age when he becomes one of the mainstays and main players in your team.” Baker scored eight times in 20 starts for Stoke and was handed the captain’s armband in games when Joe Allen wasn’t selected. The club remains in discussions with Allen about extending his stay beyond a contract that runs out this month.

It has been confirmed that Robbie Hemfrey, Kieran Coates, Adam Porter, Pat Jarrett, Christian Norton and Max Mccarthy will be released from the under23s.

Contract extensions have been offered to Matty Baker, Lewis Macari, Gabriel Adebambo, Ibrahima

Sy, Doug Taylor and Will Goodwin. Second-year scholars Xander Parke, Conor Robson, Jake Cartwright, Ifeanyi Udanoh, Ted Cargill, Sam Knowles, Shilo Waldo, Kian Knott, Ryanjay Malbon and Joshua Waite are leaving.

David Okagbue and George Lewis have been offered professional contracts.