Leeds United midfielder seals permanent move to promoted club as three-year Elland Road stay comes to an end

Bate arrived from Chelsea three summers ago but struggled to make a first-team breakthrough at Leeds, despite impressing for the club's Under-21 group and on loan at Oxford United and MK Dons.

Last season, Bate joined the Dons in January to see out the final six months of his Leeds deal playing league football and has subsequently been rewarded with a contract at League Two champions Stockport.

County boss Dave Challinor said of Bate's arrival: "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."

Bate made just five appearances for the first-team at Elland Road, making two starts against former employers Chelsea and fellow Londoners West Ham United.