Valerien Ismael has already made his first signing as manager of West Bromwich Albion with the acquisition of Alex Mowatt from Barnsley to bolster an area of the field that needs work doing.

The Frenchman returned to a player he knows well from his eight months managing the Tykes, with Mowatt scoring eight times and captained a side that ended the season in the Championship's top six.

Mowatt may not be the only midfield signing that the Baggies make though as they have been linked with Chelsea's Trevoh Chalobah this week.

Football Insider reported that the 22-year-old is a target for the Midlands club on a permanent basis having spent the last three seasons out on loan from Stamford Bridge.

Two of those were in the Football League with Ipswich and Huddersfield, but Chalobah moved to French side Lorient last season and played 29 times in Ligue 1 - France's top flight.

And the latest news is on his next movements are that West Brom's interest in him is genuine, as per Express & Star reporter Joseph Masi.

According to Masi, Chelsea have made Chalobah available for transfer so a deal is there to be done for the versatile defensive player.

Despite playing as a holding midfielder in both of his loan spells in England, Chalobah spent more time at centre-back for Lorient, and with Ismael favouring a three at the back formation, Chalobah could be potentially arriving as part of a trio.

If the Baggies really are keen on bringing Chalobah into the fold then a deal could be potentially done by the end of the week - and it may need to be wrapped up by then to fend off any other clubs who may want to enter the race for the youngster.