Ex Charlton Athletic star 'agrees' to quit Premier League club for League One return

Former Charlton Athletic midfielder Lewis Fiorini is set to leave Premier League outfit Manchester City this summer and complete a move to newly promoted League One side Stockport County.

Football Insider reports that the 22-year-old has agreed a deal with the Hatters having been told that he is not close to a first team breakthrough under Pep Guardiola at the Etihad Stadium. Fiorini is a product of the top flight Champions' youth academy but has spent the majority of his career on loan.

The midfielder joined the Addicks in January on a short-term loan deal from Manchester City but only made five league appearances for the club, not starting a single game. Four of those came before the arrival of Nathan Jones on February 4, with his only outing under the Welshman coming on the final day against Wycombe Wanderers.

The player had previously worked with former Addicks boss Michael Appleton at Blackpool and Lincoln City. Upon arriving at Charlton, he said: "I'm buzzing to join Charlton. It is a big club and obviously having worked with the gaffer [Appleton] before the move was attractive to me. He gave me my first games in English football. He made me feel confident and put his trust in me, which as a player is everything you want - a manager who believes in you and trusts you."

Fiorini has been capped at under-21 level by Scotland. He is now believed to be in the process of undergoing a medical at Stockport County.

The Manchester City man does have six goals and four assists to his name in League One, from 44 appearances. Those all came for Lincoln City during the 2021/22 season.

Dave Challinor's Stockport side finished top of League Two last season, four points clear of Wrexham in second place. Stockport County will play third tier football next season for the first time since being relegated from League One in 2010.