MOWATT LEEDS THE CHARGE
Dream is to play my old club and pal Kalvin in the Prem
BARNSLEY captain Alex Mowatt is dreaming of facing his old Leeds United pal Kalvin Phillips in the Premier League next season.
Highly-rated Mowatt joined Leeds as a nine-year-old and came through the vaunted Elland Road academy with Phillips before making his debut in August 2013.
Mowatt was sold to Barnsley in January 2017 and, while Phillips has proved a key figure in returning Leeds to the top flight and become an England regular, they could be facing off as equals next season.
Valerien Ismael’s side have had a remarkable campaign and stand just three games from the Promised Land heading into tomorrow’s play-off semi-final first leg at home to Swansea.
Midfield maestro Mowatt said: “Being at Leeds for so many years definitely helped to make me the player and person I am today.
“They’ve got an unbelievable academy and a great track record of bringing young players through.
“To win promotion for Barnsley and be playing against Leeds in the Premier League next season would be massive.
“Kalvin and I are still good mates, and I speak to him and all the other lads who I played with at Leeds, the likes of Lewis Cook, Charlie Taylor and Sam Byram.
“Kalvin has done incredibly well these past few seasons under Marcelo Bielsa
“I hope to watch him play for England at the Euros.
“He deserves it too because ever since Bielsa made him a deep-lying midfielder, he’s been one of the best players in that position, hence why he’s playing for England. I’m proud of him and it’s been inspiring to see what he’s achieved this season.
“Every kid dreams of playing in the Premier League because it’s the best league in the world with the best players.”
Barnsley scraped to safety on the final day of last season, but Ismael has transformed them into a wellmotivated force punching well above their weight.
The 26-year-old Mowatt admitted: “No one expected us to be up there, especially when we stayed up on the final day last year, and even now I’d probably say nobody is backing us to go up.
“But we all believe we can do it and we just want to win these two games against Swansea, get to Wembley, and take it from there.
“We’ve got a young squad, so everyone is developing and getting better each season.”
Mowatt is out of contract at the end of the season, but Barnsley are hopeful he will turn down offers from elsewhere and stay at Oakwell. Mowatt explained: “There were talks going on a little bit earlier on in the season.
“But now we’re in the play-offs, everything has been pushed to one side so we can focus on that.
“I’m sure there will then be talks at the end of the season.
“But the only focus right now is on helping Barnsley to win promotion.”