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West Brom midfielder Alex Mowatt closes in on Derby County transfer One of Albion’s longest-serving players is poised to complete a switch to Championship rivals on the eve of the new league season. Albion midfielder Alex Mowatt is closing in on a switch to Championship rivals Derby County on the eve of the new league season. The 31-year-old is set to call time on five years at The Hawthorns, in which he made 170 appearances and scored 14 goals. Mowatt had entered the final year of his contract and is one of the oldest members of James Morrison’s squad. He was also the club’s joint-longest serving player having checked in during the summer of 2021 with midfield colleague Jayson Molumby. Albion accepted an offer from Derby for the midfielder after an initial approach was knocked back on Wednesday. Mowatt is understood to have undergone medical checks on Thursday ahead of a move. It means the club are set to make a profit on the midfielder they recruited as a free transfer from Barnsley in 2021. Subscribe now for HALF PRICE and catch every minute of our Albion coverage this season - from pre-season to the final whistle. CLICK HERE Derby’s boss John Eustace is a long-term admirer of Mowatt and there was a move in the works last summer, before it fell through. The Rams have continued their interest in the experienced midfielder. Mowatt was seen as a leader figure at The Hawthorns but is now set to switch to the east Midlands. The transfer could be completed on Friday, with Championship action set to begin this weekend as Morrison’s men visit Norwich. Recent additions of Felix Horn Myhre and Rabby Nzingoula meant Albion were well-stocked in central midfield, with five senior options. Morrison told the Express & Star in a press conference on Wednesday it was his job to keep all of the options happy. Mowatt started last weekend’s EFL Cup success at Rotherham over Molumby. He was initially used as a substitute when Morrison took over in the spring, but worked his way into the head coach’s starting line-up on the run to survival.