Fan favorite Swiderski looks set to stay with Charlotte FC

With an option for a permanent transfer set to expire following a loan to Italy, it appears forward Karol Swiderski is set to return to Charlotte FC and enter first-year head coach Dean Smith’s plans for the latter half of the club’s MLS season.

The Polish forward is the club’s all-time leading goalscorer. He scored 25 goals and added 13 assists in 70 appearances across all competitions with Charlotte FC after joining the club ahead of its inaugural campaign.

The fan favorite, who has consistently ranked among the league’s top selling jerseys, could help boost a Charlotte attack that’s scored just 23 goals in 20 games. He will fill one of the club’s two open designated player spots barring a change in plans.

“He decided he wanted to go and pursue Europe and we were happy for him to go and do that,” Smith said on Thursday. “It’s not happened at the moment for him to join anyone so he’s coming back and as I say, we want good players at the club. I believe he’s a good player. As long as he comes back and his attitude and application are top like it was before he left, then not a problem.”

Smith said Swiderski will be back at the training facility on July 8 when the team resumes practices after its matchup against Inter Miami on July 3. His loan to Hellas Verona officially ends on June 30 and his European Championships journey with Poland came to a close on Tuesday after a 1-1 draw with France, in which he drew a penalty kick.

“I will speak to him, I haven’t spoken to him yet. It’ll be a little bit raw, I think for him going out of the Euros at the moment, so I’ll let that die down a little bit and then get in touch with him,” Smith said. “We’ve been in touch with him through third parties in terms of sorting out the timing for when he comes back.”

Swiderski can’t play for Char