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West Brom midfielder completes move to league rivals with fee confirmed Midfielder has completed his move to Pride Park after five years at The Hawthorns. Alex Mowatt has completed a move to Derby County from Albion for a fee believed to be worth in the region of £600,000 to £700,000. The 31-year-old spent five seasons at The Hawthorns, with one campaign away on loan at Middlesbrough, and played 170 times for the Baggies and started under James Morrison in last weekend’s season opener at Rotherham in the EFL Cup. Derby and Rams boss John Eustace have been long-term admirers of the experienced midfielder and made their interest concrete this week, on the eve of the new Championship season. An initial bid was knocked back by Albion but terms were then agreed as Mowatt underwent his medical and agreed a two-year contract in the east Midlands. The transfer was described by the clubs as an undisclosed fee but it is understood second-tier rivals Derby have paid a fee a little in excess of £600,000 to bring the Yorkshireman across the Midlands. Subscribe now for HALF PRICE and catch every minute of our Albion coverage this season - from pre-season to the final whistle. CLICK HERE Mowatt had entered the final year of his contract at The Hawthorns and was one of the club’s bigger earners, so a significant salary has been moved from the books. He was one of five senior central midfielders in Morrison’s squad and, given the contract status, the club’s decision-makers were satisfied to sanction the deal. The timing is not ideal from head coach Morrison’s perspective, however, on the eve of the Championship curtain-raiser at Norwich City on Saturday afternoon. Derby held a long-standing interest in Mowatt but it is understood that, as of earlier in the week before Derby made formal their offer, there was no expectation for the midfielder’s departure. Albion are confident that remaining options of Ousmane Diakite and Jayson Molumby, as well as new recruits Felix Horn Myhre and Rabby Nzingoula, will be sufficient for the new season. Isaac Price and Harry Whitwell can also fill the role. It does not mean another late midfield addition is off the table if an option for the right price presents itself, but a new winger remains the priority for Morrison’s squad. Baggies may also look for extra firepower in the final third before the September 1 deadline, which the only natural right-back back-up to new boy Nolan Galves is academy prospect Alex Williams.