Former Preston North End, QPR and Nottingham Forest man joins League Two club after Middlesbrough interest

Former Preston North End defender Todd Kane has made a return to English football after four months away following a stint abroad.

Kane has signed with League Two promotion hopefuls Stockport County on a deal until the end of the season. He had been out in Gibraltar with Manchester 62, but left the club on New Year's Day amid some difficulties. The 30-year-old made six league appearances for Manchester 62 before departing earlier, and was reportedly subject of interest from Middlesbrough, Millwall, Peterborough United and Lincoln City in the winter window.

“Todd joins us for this important final run of games to support the first-team group with his experience and quality," said Stockport's director of football Simon Wilson.

"After losing Macca, Kyle, Akil and even more recently Will Collar, Todd helps strengthen our right back/wing back position. He has shown a real desire to be at the club and help us, and I’m sure he can."

Kane could make his debut for his new club against Salford City on Thursday. Salford and Stockport go head to head on Sky Sports Football. Stockport are the fifth permanent club of Kane's career but the 14th team that he has joined.

The former Chelsea younger had a short spell at North End, joining on a two-month loan deal in 2012. He made five appearances in total for the Lilywhites, but was later snapped up by their Lancashire rivals Blackburn Rovers.

Preston and Blackburn were just two of eight loans that he had away from Stamford Bridge, with the Blues shipping him out to Bristol City, Nottingham Forest, NEC Nijmegen, Groingen, Oxford United and Hull City.

The Huntingdon-born left-back ended his 18-year association with Chelsea however by joining their West London rivals QPR oln a permanent basis in 2019. He spent two years at Loftus Road, making 65 appearances before making the move to Coventry City. Kane played 41 times over two seasons contracted to the Sky Blues, playing 31 times in his first season but then being loaned out to Charlton Athletic in the second-half of his two-year stay in the Midlands.