| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Matthew Baker[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (2003-02-06)6 February 2003 (age 23) | ||
| Place of birth | Kent, England | ||
| Height | 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)[2] | ||
| Position | Defender | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Newport County | ||
| Number | 4 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2011–2021 | Gillingham | ||
| 2021–2022 | Stoke City | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2022–2024 | Stoke City | 0 | (0) |
| 2023 | →Newport County (loan) | 18 | (0) |
| 2023–2024 | →Newport County (loan) | 32 | (0) |
| 2024– | Newport County | 64 | (5) |
| International career‡ | |||
| Wales U17 | |||
| Wales U19 | |||
| 2023–2024 | Wales U21 | 8 | (0) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 16:41, 15 February 2026 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals as of 18:10, 15 October 2024 (UTC) | |||
Matthew Baker (born 6 February 2003) is a professionalfootballer who plays as adefender forEFL League Two clubNewport County.[3] He is a formerWales under-21 international.
Baker progressed through theGillingham youth system and signed forStoke City in June 2021.[4][5] He moved on loan toNewport County in January 2023 for the remainder of the2022–23 season.[6][7][8][9] He made his Football League debut for Newport on 14 February 2023 in the League Two 2–2 draw againstStevenage.[10] Baker made 18 appearances for Newport helping them finish in 15th position.[11] In September 2023 Baker re-joined Newport County on loan for the2023–24 season.[12] Baker made 39 appearances for the Exiles as they finished in 18th position.[13][14] In May 2024, Stoke City offered Baker a contract extension.[15]
On 1 July 2024, Baker returned to Newport County on a permanent two-year deal after both clubs had reached a compensation agreement.[16][17] Baker scored his first goal for Newport on 17 August 2024 in the 3–1 EFL League Two win against Doncaster Rovers.[18] He was selected as Newport County Young Player of the Year for the 2024–25 season[19]
Baker is from Kent and qualifies forWales through his mother who was born inNarberth, Pembrokeshire.[20] He is a Wales youth international and captained them at under-19 level.[21] On 26 March 2023 Baker made his Wales under-21 debut in the starting line-up for the 3–0 friendly match win against Scotland under-21 in Spain.[22] He later became under-21 captain.[17]
In June 2024 Baker was called up to the Wales senior squad for the first time.[23]
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Stoke City | 2022–23[11] | Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | |
| 2023–24[13] | Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | ||
| Total | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Newport County (loan) | 2022–23[11] | League Two | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 0 |
| Newport County (loan) | 2023–24[13] | League Two | 32 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2[a] | 0 | 39 | 0 |
| Newport County | 2024–25[24] | League Two | 41 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3[a] | 0 | 46 | 4 |
| 2025–26[25] | League Two | 23 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1[a] | 0 | 26 | 1 | |
| Total | 64 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 72 | 5 | ||
| Career total | 114 | 5 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 129 | 5 | ||