Alex Mowatt reveals Leeds United conversations as midfielder eyes new chance

Doncaster-born Mowatt progressed through the Whites Academy before breaking into the first team and often starring during the club’s Championship days of the mid-2010s. Mowatt eventually left Leeds to join Barnsley in January 2017 and then had a spell out on loan at Oxford United before signing for West Brom in July 2021 under Valerien Ismael upon his switch to the Baggies from the Tykes.

Mowatt made 34 Championship starts during his first season at West Brom but was loaned out to Middlesbrough last season for whom he bagged 11 league starts and a further 18 outings from the bench.

But the midfielder has now returned to the Hawthorns ahead of the new season for a first chance under former Whites coach Carlos Corberan with whom Mowatt shares strong Leeds links with. Mowatt was out on loan at Middlesbrough when ex-Whites under-23s boss and first team assistant Corberan was appointed as new Baggies boss last October and Leeds has been a big topic of conversation ahead of his Hawthorns return.

"I spoke with the gaffer here in November, he rang me,” said Mowatt to the Express and Star. "It was a long call, 20 minutes just speaking about football, he knows everything about football, every loan I've been on.

"He came through at Leeds and so did I, we were talking about Leeds a bit, and Barnsley, and when Boro played West Brom (in February) he called me in the office and we spoke for 10 or 15 minutes, I've had good talks with the gaffer.

"I'd left before he got there (at Leeds), but some of my mates played in the under-21s with the gaffer, so I've grilled all them as well asking what he was like up there. Obviously it's different now he's a first-team coach, but everybody speaks highly of him.

"It's a fresh start for me. A totally different manager, totally different staff, it's about me trying to impress and working hard, also learning what the gaffer wants and trying to do it on the pitch."