Barnsley have completed the signing of Leeds United midfielder Alex Mowatt, who has joined the Oakwell side on a two-and-a-half year contract.
Mowatt progressed through the youth ranks at Elland Road to make his first team debut back in August 2013, and would go on to make a total of 125 appearances in all competitions. But despite winning the club’s player of the year award in 2014-15 he has struggled to push on, and manager Garry Monk has only used him sparingly this season.
The 21-year-old was due to become a free agent at the end of the campaign when his contract was set to expire, but the Whites have instead allowed him to join Barnsley for a fee believed to be around £500,000. Mowatt, who has been signed to replace Conor Hourihane who has left for Aston Villa, is looking forward to the next chapter in his career.
“I’m really happy to be joining such a good club and I can’t wait to get going here,” said the former England Under-20 international. “The Gaffer showed me his plans for me and the plans he has for the future. It was good to see how he thinks and how he wants to play. He’s really sold his ambitions to me and made me desperate to come in and get going.”
Mowatt, who as recently as two years ago was linked with a £7million move to Everton, Liverpool or Hull City, becomes the third player to depart Monk’s squad during the January transfer window. Luke Murphy has joined Burton Albion on loan for the rest of the season, and Toumani Diagouraga who has the same agreement with Ipswich Town.
