NEWPORT County AFC have been linked with a loan move for Wales Under-21s defender Matt Baker.

The 19-year-old Stoke City prospect is heading for a first taste of senior football with the Exiles in League Two, reports the Daily Mirror.

Baker has played throughout the Wales age grades and captained the Under-19s when playing alongside County attacking midfielder Lewys Twamley.

He came through the ranks at Gillingham before a move to Stoke aged 18.

Baker is yet to make his first team debut but was named on the bench for Championship games against Hull and QPR in September and has recently been playing in Premier League Two games for the U23s.

County boss Graham Coughlan has previously stated that he is only targeting players that will improve his XI in January rather than squad filler.

Declan Drysdale, Priestley Farquharson and Mickey Demetriou have established themselves as a trio in County’s 5-3-2 while experienced James Clarke is back from a knee injury.

Right-back Cameron Norman and midfielder Scot Bennett can also cover at the back but defender/midfielder Matty Dolan was allowed to move to Hartlepool at the start of the transfer window for family reasons.

Midfielder Harry Charsley has been the only arrival in the window so far after dropping down from League One Port Vale to sign an 18-month deal while Twamley has returned from a loan spell with Pontypridd.

Young midfielder Jack Karadogan has linked up with Ponty while Dolan and midfielder Robbie Willmott (Walsall) were allowed to leave on loan before the expiry of their contracts this summer.

Striker Chanka Zimba (Cardiff), forward Thierry Nevers (West Ham) and midfielder Hayden Lindley (Aston Villa) returned to their parent clubs after being fringe figures, with Nevers then joining Bradford for their promotion push.