Villa announced amongst their plethora of new signings a new four-year contract for 24-year old defender Nathan Baker.
The academy graduate has risen through the youth ranks having played under the guidance of Tony McAndrew and Kevin MacDonald, before eventually making his first team bow away to Wigan in the 2010-2011 season under Gerard Houllier.
The defender has recently been the subject of transfer speculation with a rumoured £2 million bid from recently relegated side Burnley believed to be on the table. However, Tim Sherwood wanted to keep Baker to ensure that there is competition for places amongst the central defenders at the club such as Micah Richards, fellow academy graduate Ciaran Clark, Jores Okore and Phillipe Senderos.
Baker spoke of his delight at signing his new deal to the club’s official website saying “I am determined to impress the gaffer and get in that side. The competition is going to be fierce here at centre-half but that’s what the gaffer wants. There’s a lot of choice for him. But you can’t do well as a club without competition for places.”
In Tim Sherwood’s first full season in charge, Baker will be hoping to impress the manager and cement a few team place for the rest of the season and beyond
