Middlesbrough backed for £10m+ Morgan Whittaker decision | OneFootball

Could Whittaker be cashed in on by the Teessiders this summer?

Middlesbrough are planning for life in the Championship once more, and there's intense speculation regarding the futures of some of their players.

The Teesside outfit could not make the most of the play-off lifeline in May after being re-admitted following Southampton's expulsion, with their trip to Wembley for the final ending in heartbreak as Hull City's stoppage time winner sent them to the Premier League, and consigned Boro to a 10th-straight season in the second tier.

Failure to reach the top flight once more is likely going to have a knock-on effect when it comes to Kim Hellberg's squad - Hayden Hackney is an expected departure for big money, having entered the final year of his contract at the Riverside Stadium, and owner Steve Gibson has not been shy about selling assets for big money over the years, with Emmanuel Latte Lath joining Atlanta United in February 2025 for £22.5 million when they were still in the mix for the play-offs under Michael Carrick.

It may not just be Hackney who departs Boro though. Links have emerged to winger Morgan Whittaker potentially exiting this summer too after his 14-goal Championship haul in 2025-26, on top of seven assists.

Morgan Whittaker to depart Middlesbrough? Boro exit touted for the right price

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Turkish journalist Hasan Tüncel reported last week that Trabzonspor were keen on landing the left-footed attacker this summer, with his name appearing among a number of transfer targets as they look to bolster their options for their UEFA Europa League campaign - if they can get past the play-off round.

As per local reports on Teesside though, there has been no contact from the Super Lig club for his services as of now, and they're likely to be priced out of a move for the 25-year-old anyhow.

FLW's Boro fan pundit Liam Daly though would be open to Whittaker moving on from the club this summer - and only for around double the £5 million fee that they paid to Plymouth in January 2025.

"I would be surprised if we sold him to be honest, but I wouldn't be that bothered if we did - it's something that I kind of hope will happen," Liam told FLW.

"Whilst I think he's a player who can create something out of nothing, and that's important to have, when he's not at it it's like playing with 10 men, and I think that really cost us in the play-offs. We didn't have that intensity out there, and he's a bit of a wimp in challenges, which can be really costly, and that's not something Kim Hellberg really wants in a player, I don't think.

"I think he wants pressing high, intensity and a bit of speed, and I don't think Whittaker offers you that, and if you can get £10 million-plus for him, then I think you take it and re-invest in the squad which I think would be the smartest decision.

"But I don't see him leaving, to be honest - I think we'll want too much and I don't see anyone paying what we'd actually want. It's not exactly a bad thing to have a Morgan Whittaker in your squad, especially when he's playing at his best, like he did at times last season."

Morgan Whittaker could be hard to replace for Middlesbrough unless £15m+ is put on the table

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When Boro signed Whittaker a year-and-a-half ago, they were getting an exciting, top-end Championship talent who needed a move from a relegation-threatened side in Plymouth to unlock his true potential - and whilst his first half season on Teesside was disappointing, he became the club's talisman from out wide under Kim Hellberg.

Aged 25 now, there could still be some improvement to come from Whittaker, but his weak points are an obvious concern - how he can drift in and out of games and be anonymous at times, and when he's not firing, he's not always creating chances out of nothing, which is what Boro need at times.

Selling Whittaker though for around the £10 million mark may prove futile though, as it's going to cost a pretty penny on paper to replace his 21 goal contributions last season, and Boro may have to take a transfer gamble in order to do so.