After his loan club was eliminated from the League Two play-offs over the weekend, Lewis Bate, a midfielder for Leeds United, apologised to the supporters of Milton Keynes Dons on social media.

Bate announced his departure at Elland Road on X [13 May], following MK Dons’ 8-1 aggregate loss to Crawley Town in the play-off semifinals.

Bate, who spent the previous season on loan at Oxford United, is back with more experience having made 22 appearances since joining Mike Williamson’s squad in January.

“Thank you to the players and staff at MK Dons for the past few months,” the England youth international wrote in his post.

“Thank you to the fans as well for having me in from the beginning. I apologies for the team’s performance in the play-offs, but I have no doubt that the team will return soon!

Bate, who joined Leeds in 2021 for a reported £1.5 million from Chelsea, has made four appearances in the first team before his contract with the club expires this summer.

Lewis Bate among those not in Daniel Farke’s Leeds plans

As of right moment, Bate’s departure from Leeds United is inevitable due to a loan agreement that was made in the last few months of the midfielder’s contract.

In the winter transfer window that saw Leo Hjelde sign a permanent contract with Sunderland, Bate was loaned to Stadium MK; it was implied that Farke had no intention of keeping both players in his lineup “now or in the future.”

Whatever level the Whites finish in at the end of this month, as they look ahead to the upcoming campaign, a major makeover of the Elland Road roster is anticipated.

The contracts of Liam Cooper, Jamie Shackleton, and Sam Byram also expire on June 30. Bate is one of the young players the team signed as prospects under Marcelo Bielsa, and with whom the floor is being ripped up to start over.

In five U21 matches between September and January, four of which were losses, Bate did not appear in a single Leeds matchday squad throughout the Championship.

While it appears the London-born midfield player will be seeking a challenge at a higher level, it was evident he felt at ease playing for MK in League Two with consistent game time.