West Brom backed to sign 'talented' ex-Southampton star to replace Alex Mowatt | OneFootball

West Brom fan pundit Callum Burgess told FLW that Will Smallbone would be a good signing to replace Alex Mowatt after he left for Derby.

West Brom have been told to push to secure a deal for free agent Will Smallbone after Alex Mowatt’s move to Derby County.

James Morrison’s side got off to the perfect start to their Championship season with an impressive 2-1 win at Norwich City, who are among the favourites for promotion.

Even though there were plenty of positives to take, Albion will still hope to add to their squad ahead of the deadline, and bringing in a midfielder may be among the priorities after Mowatt’s departure.

The 31-year-old had been a key player for the Baggies over the years, and Morrison admitted that he ‘didn’t expect’ to lose the former Leeds man, so there’s no denying it was a setback.

West Brom interested in Will Smallbone after Southampton exit

Therefore, Albion are likely to be in the market for reinforcements in the middle of the park, and it has been suggested that Smallbone is a target.

The Ireland international is without a club after leaving Southampton in the summer, although he had been out of favour at the south coast side for some time, having spent the previous campaign on loan with Millwall.

However, his time at The Den was disrupted by injury, as he made just ten appearances for Alex Neil’s side, as they finished third in the Championship.

So, it was a frustrating campaign for Smallbone, and he remains without a club as he continues to weigh up his options before returning to the game.

Will Smallbone backed to replace Alex Mowatt at West Brom

As mentioned, it has been reported that Smallbone is a target for Albion, and the 26-year-old has a similar skillset to Mowatt in terms of his technical ability.

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With that in mind, when quizzed by FLW about the prospect of Smallbone arriving at The Hawthorns, West Brom fan pundit Callum Burgess admitted that this would be a smart move, as he revealed that he was surprised the ex-Stoke City loanee remains without a club.

“He would definitely be a good replacement for Mowatt in the sense that he’d help our ball progression up the pitch, which is something we might be struggling with if the likes of Jayson Molumby partnered Ousmane Diakite.

“The balance between Mowatt and Diakite was good, with Diakite anchoring, and Mowatt as the playmaker. So, if Smallbone was in there, he could thrive in that role.

“If that does come to fruition I think it would be a good signing, but I’m surprised Smallbone hasn’t sorted out a permanent contract with another club because I think he is a talented player.”

Will Smallbone could bring something different to West Brom’s midfield

Most would agree that Smallbone would be a sensible addition for Albion, as he has proven himself to be a good player at this level over the years.

The major concern would be his injury record last season, but with Smallbone available on a free transfer, he is a low-risk move, and it could have high reward if he can get anywhere near his best form.

As outlined above, Mowatt’s departure means Albion are lacking a technical midfielder, and it’s something that Morrison will want to address.

Whilst the Norwich result was fantastic, the Baggies aren’t going to be able to play that way every week, so they must add more creativity, and Smallbone would be a massive help.