Alex Mowatt returns and pre-season fixture added after West Brom get Leeds United boost

West Bromwich Albion will take on Forest Green Rovers in a pre-season friendly the week before the Championship season starts.

The Baggies will travel to the Bolt New Lawn stadium on Friday, July 28 to take on the League Two club. Carlos Corberan’s team are already scheduled to face League One side Bolton Wanderers in their final pre-season fixture the following day.

Albion – who will enjoy a five-day training camp at St George’s Park in July – now have six fixtures pencilled in for pre-season. Before that double-header against Forest Green and Bolton, the Baggies will play Shrewsbury Town, Cheltenham Town, Salford City and Burton Albion.

The first team squad returned for pre-season testing at the club’s Walsall base on Tuesday, where they were put through a range of fitness drills inside the gym before moving outside.

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Returning loanees Cedric Kipre and Alex Mowatt checked in after their respective spells at Cardiff City and Middlesbrough ended. Kipre made 42 appearances for the Bluebirds as they narrowly avoided relegation to League One.

The Frenchman is out of contract next summer but could be given a chance to impress Corberan in pre-season having previously been discarded by Steve Bruce.

Mowatt is in a similar situation at The Hawthorns having featured prominently in Middlesbrough’s run to the Championship play-offs under Michael Carrick. Mowatt started both semi-final legs as Boro lost 1-0 on aggregate to Coventry City and made 31 appearances in total during his time at the Riverside.

Meanwhile, Albion appear to have fended off interest in head coach Corberan from Leeds United. Corberan – who spent three years coaching at Elland Road before his departure in 2020 – has repeatedly been linked with the Leeds job since he became Baggies boss in October.

He ended speculation over him replacing Jesse Marsch as Leeds chief in February by signing a new four-year contract with Albion. That deal is believed to include a release clause, but Leeds haven’t broached the subject and appear to be moving towards other targets.

Scott Parker has been among the favourites ever since ex-Albion boss Sam Allardyce left Leeds following their relegation to the Championship. Former Norwich City manager Daniel Farke – who, like Parker, has two promotions from the division on his CV – has emerged as a strong candidate, while Arsenal legend Patrick Vieira is also under consideration

Corberan now looks set to lead Albion into the new Championship season after weeks of speculation. The Baggies will discover their opponents for the upcoming campaign when the fixtures are released this morning.