MIDDLESBROUGH loanee Alex Mowatt has held talks with Carlos Corberan, manager of his parent club West Brom, who has told the midfielder he's closely following his campaign on Teesside.
Mowatt joined Boro on a season-long loan in the summer when West Brom's former boss Steve Bruce sanctioned the midfielder's exit.
Bruce has since been replaced by ex-Huddersfield Town head coach Corberan, who has inspired a charge up the Championship table for the Baggies. West Brom are currently 10th but just three points shy of third place, having been 23rd when Corberan took charge.
Mowatt's loan spell at Boro hasn't turned out as the midfielder would have hoped, having only started eight games - all during Chris Wilder's time in charge. He's only played 79 minutes in total since Michael Carrick's appointment, though the head coach has praised Mowatt's attitude and has talked repeatedly about how he understands the frustrations of those on the fringes.
That praise will have been noted by Corberan, who is closely monitoring Mowatt's loan spell and assessing the midfielder's character as well as his displays when he does get on the pitch.
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"I had the discussion with the players who are on loan," Corberan said when asked about Mowatt and Cedric Kipre, who is at Cardiff.
"For me it's important for them to know that I'm following them. I'm watching whether they're playing, or not playing, and a summary of the actions they do. It's important for me to analyse every player we have in the club.
"I usually spend a lot of time with the academy coaches talking about the growing of our young players. I spend time with Chris Brunt (West Brom loans manager), who is in charge of the loans, to see what he's seeing because I like to have a look at the players.
"I had a previous conversation with them to let them know that I am following them."
Mowatt played twice for West Brom at the start of the campaign meaning he'd be unable to play for any other club this season, something the Baggies will have obviously considered when assessing whether or not to recall the midfielder from Boro this month.
He has 18 months left on his contract at the Hawthorns.
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