Hull City are hoping that they can strike an agreement with Chelsea to retain the service of Nathan Baxter heading into 2022/23. 

Baxter has made 13 appearances for the Tigers in the Championship this season, with the goalkeeper keeping six clean sheets in that run and competing with Matt Ingram for the gloves.

The 23-year-old returned to the starting line-up in Easter Monday's defeat to Millwall, as Shota Arveladze opted for change after securing Hull's Championship safety.

As per Hull Live, the message from Arveladze is clear in that he wants to retain Baxter heading into 2022/23, if he didn't, he simply wouldn't be playing him during this Championship run-in.

He said: "Look, if we were not open to signing him permanently, I would not play him, that's the message to everyone that we're happy and we want him.

"We're happy with the goalkeepers, that's the way it is. But again, there are two parts to the wheel. I hope he wants to be with us and Chelsea have to decide what they want to do with him."

 

 

The move to East Yorkshire is Baxter's sixth spell out on loan from Chelsea, but his first in the Championship.

The goalkeeper spent time with Accrington Stanley in League One during the 2020/21 campaign, yet prior to that, his experience had come in League Two, Scotland and non-league.

Hull sit 19th in the Championship table as things stand, with three games left to play. They take on Reading FC, Bristol City and Nottingham Forest during the run-in.

The Verdict 

It's fairly clear that there's a determination at Hull to retain the service of Baxter heading into next season, with Arveladze's comments making that clear to Chelsea.

What else will make their intentions clear is retaining Baxter ahead of Ingram for the remainder of the season, given there's also uncertainty over his future with the club at this stage.

Arveladze giving Baxter the chance to stake a claim for the gloves heading into pre-season would surely help sway Chelsea into agreeing a fresh loan deal at the very least.

You've got to consider the player, too. It's going to be nice for him to hear these comments and that will only work in Hull's favour as they aim to strike a deal with Chelsea.

Thoughts? Let us know!