Leeds United surprisingly allowed Alex Mowatt to leave just 18 months ago, and since then he has had a pretty interesting journey.

Signing for Barnsley in January 2017, he started his career off at Oakwell in fine form, before being loaned out to Oxford United for the entire season the following year.

During his temporary spell in League One, the Tykes were relegated, and Mowatt rejoined Barnsley after the expiration of his deal with the Us.

Now in League One themselves, Mowatt had one year left on his deal, but his performances in the first 17 matches have been enough to convince manager Daniel Stendel that he was deserving of a new contract.

Mowatt agreed to terms on an improved deal until the summer of 2020 having been one of the Tykes’ standout performers over the whole season so far.

When the midfielder left Elland Road, it was a surprise to many and had he been in this kind of form this season under Marcelo Bielsa; it begs the question, what would he have added?

So, with that said, here are three things Mowatt would bring to this current Leeds team.

The way Marcelo Bielsa wants to play would suit Alex Mowatt’s style down to the ground.

Combative on the pitch, and a ball of energy, the 23-year-old would have the legs and the stamina to be intense throughout a 90-minute match.

He would be leading the charge in the middle to hustle opponents and pressurise them into losing the ball.

Alongside Mateusz Klich, it could have been a formidable partnership.

Having come through the Leeds academy, Alex Mowatt would have played like he did when he was at Leeds the first time, with conviction and passion.

It’s his club; he was raised there and came through the ranks - he knows what it was all about to play in the famous all-white kit.

When things would go wrong, he would have that extra but about him to not go hiding and to try and rescue a game.

His preferred style of play is short, sharp passing to his teammates - something that Marcelo Bielsa encourages from his players.

Alex Mowatt would be in his element if he were still at Elland Road with the style that Bielsa wants to impart on his team.

He is adept at making those key passes, too and with the movement of Leeds’ attacking players, he would have had a field day in the middle of the park this season.