How Morgan Whittaker got on in his first game in the MLS after Middlesbrough exit | OneFootball

Morgan Whittaker has officially made his first appearance for Colorado Rapids following his Middlesbrough exit this summer

Middlesbrough are looking to sustain another push for promotion under Kim Hellberg this season, and have had an excellent start to the new campaign.

Middlesbrough opened their account for the new Championship season with three points at home to Lincoln City on the opening day, and whilst a 2-1 away defeat to Blackburn Rovers after would put a downer on things, they have been almost faultless since.

Victories over West Bromwich Albion, Queens Park Rangers, and Norwich City have followed, as well as a draw away to Burnley, as Hellberg's side aim to be fighting in and amongst the automatic promotion places this year.

It was a hectic summer for Boro, and you would do well to find a fan of the club disappointed with their overall business, even despite the late sale of Morgan Whittaker.

Morgan Whittaker left Middlesbrough to join Colorado Rapids in a £7.9 million deal this summer

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Whittaker, 25, left Middlesbrough late in the window to join MLS side Colorado Rapids for around $10.7 million (£7.9 million) after 18 months on Teesside.

The forward had initially joined the club from Plymouth Argyle in January 2025 for around £5 million, and although it would take him some nine months to find the back of the net for Boro following his move, he proved to be an excellent option in the final third for the club, with 14 goals and nine assists in 66 games across all competitions.

Now, he has taken his career Stateside, as the Englishman has recently made his first appearance for his new club.

How did Morgan Whittaker get on during his debut for Colorado Rapids after Middlesbrough exit?

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Following his move to Colorado, Whittaker didn't have to wait too long to make his first appearance for his new club, coming on in the 54th minute for Donovan Phillip in a 1-0 victory for his new side of Montreal.

Although he failed to get on the scoresheet or grab an assist on debut, Whittaker showed glimpses of what he was about following his brief cameo in the second half, as he awaits to get the nod from the start.

Whittaker joins the likes of Sam Surridge, Jack Harrison, Ashley Westwood, Nathan Byrne, and Harry Toffolo as Englishmen who have played in the EFL to make the move to the United States, and he will be hoping to have a positive impact in his new home.

Why did Middlesbrough part ways with Morgan Whittaker?

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Middlesbrough underwent a busy summer window, and on the face of it, one of the best the Championship has ever seen, bringing in the likes of Will Lankshear, Ashley Phillips, Radek Vitek, Sebastian Berhalter, Max Arfsten, Kyle Joseph, Myles Peart-Harris, Rokas Pukstas, Sam Byram, Connor Barron, and Amario Cozier-Duberry.

Meanwhile, the sales of Hayden Hackney, Abdoulaye Kante, and Whittaker will have helped Boro to stay firmly within spending limits, as well as the influx of money they will have received from Morgan Rogers' move from Aston Villa to Chelsea.

Cozier-Duberry came in on to add another option on the right flank, joining on loan from Brighton and Hove Albion, with some believing he could even be an upgrade on Whittaker.

Boro have made a healthy profit after 18 months on Whittaker, and have arguably become even stronger as a result, though time will tell whether his sale was the right call.

Kim Hellberg will be targeting Premier League promotion with Middlesbrough despite Morgan Whittaker's departure

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Despite Whittaker's departure, Hellberg and Middlesbrough's goal will undoubtedly remain the same.

Having narrowly missed out on promotion last year by the skin of their teeth, the Swedish head coach will be hoping similar mistakes are not made this time around, and that he can guide Boro back to the Premier League for the first time in a decade.

Boro, the goal remains the same.