Former MK Dons loan midfielder Lewis Bate has signed for Stockport County after expiry of his Leeds United contract.

The 21-year-old had spent the second half of the just-completed 2023/24 season on loan with the Dons from the West Yorkshire club. He made 22 appearances for the Dons in all competitions.

Bate was released by Leeds upon expiry of his contract, and he has now made the move to join a side promoted to League One for next season.

Stockport have confirmed that Bate has signed a three year contract at Edgeley Park, and he will be Stockport’s fifth signing ahead of their return to the third tier of English football for the first time since the 2009/10 season.

Stockport’s first team Manager Dave Challinor told the club’s official site that he had attempted to sign Bate in January before he moved to MK Dons, and that he was delighted to persuade Bate to join him ahead of the new season.

He said, “Lewis is a player that we attempted to sign in January but it wasn’t to be. From that point, we’ve kept an eye on his situation and when we knew he was being released by Leeds, we immediately renewed our interest. We’ve had to be really patient as there was interest in Lewis from higher up, but thankfully our patience has been rewarded.

“For some time now, we’ve felt that our biggest evolution as a team would come from a ball playing midfielder that will not only receive the ball in tight areas but manipulate space and play forward, as well as driving forward when the opportunity presents.

“Lewis is fantastic at all of these things and will be of huge importance to our development. Personally, for him, playing in the Premier League and Championship is where he wants to get back to and we really feel he has every opportunity for that to be the case.”