Middlesbrough warning sent to West Ham over 'unnecessary' transfer | OneFootball

FLW's Middlesbrough fan pundit has given his verdict on West Ham's interest in Morgan Whittaker

Middlesbrough will be targeting a promotion push again next season after losing in the play-off final to Hull City last May.

The Teesside outfit haven’t competed in the Premier League since 2017, but will have their sights set on a return going into the new campaign.

Kim Hellberg’s side finished fifth in the table, and were then granted their place in the final after their semi-final opponents Southampton were expelled from the competition.

But Oli McBurnie’s goal proved the difference between the two sides, and Boro have responded by making quite a splash in the transfer market this summer.

However, holding onto key players has also been an issue the club have had to manage, with Hayden Hackney signing for Everton.

And it’s been reported by talkSPORT that Morgan Whittaker is a transfer target for the recently-relegated West Ham, who will be one of Middlesbrough’s rivals for promotion next season.

Middlesbrough won’t miss Morgan Whittaker

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When asked about the possibility of West Ham signing Whittaker, FLW’s Middlesbrough fan pundit Liam Day claimed that he might not go down well with supporters of the Hammers, as he is a luxury player.

He’s tipped the London outfit for promotion regardless of if they sign the forward, and believes that this deal would potentially be overkill for Nuno Espirito Santos’ side.

“I feel like West Ham are going to be a different quality to anyone in the league this season,” Day told Football League World.

“They’ve got Jarrod Bowen, who seems to be staying, they’ve not really sold many players and the ones they have they’ve sold for big money and they were always going to lose.

Should Middlesbrough sell Morgan Whittaker to West Ham? Comment your opinion below

“So, with the squad they have, they should win the league by a canter, and if they add Morgan Whittaker to it — who is a bit of a luxury player, so I don’t know how well he’d be liked — it would be a bit of a joke.

“And I’d be very, very, very surprised if West Ham don’t go up.”

Day has claimed he wouldn’t be too upset if Whittaker was sold, even though he was their top scorer last season, as he isn’t a perfect fit for what Hellberg wants in a player, so he’s okay with a possible exit.

“I think Whittaker is a bit of an unnecessary signing, but if it happened I wouldn’t be too upset,” he added.

“There were times in that play-off games, at Southampton and Hull, where you were looking like ‘why are you walking about so much? You’ve barely ran’.

“And I think Hellberg wants people who will really die for the badge, and non-stop running, and I don’t think Whittaker is that type of player.

“But, on the other hand, he is someone who creates something out of nothing, and he was our top scorer last season, so it’s not a bad thing if he stays.

“But I won’t be gutted if he leaves.”

Morgan Whittaker’s importance to Middlesbrough

Whittaker signed for Middlesbrough in the 2025 January transfer window, and has so far made a total of 56 regular league appearances for the club.

The 25-year-old has contributed 14 goals and eight assists, and has featured regularly under Hellberg since his arrival as head coach last November.

The forward has a contract with Boro until June 2029, meaning the club will be in no rush to cash in this summer.

It remains to be seen what kind of asking price has been set by Boro for Whittaker, but it is likely they will command a significant fee.

And given West Ham are also a promotion rival this season, it is unclear whether the Teesside outfit would even be willing to sell to the Hammers.

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Morgan Whittaker sale wouldn’t make sense for Middlesbrough

Middlesbrough have added plenty of firepower this summer, with the likes of Will Lankshear and Kyle Joseph being among their signings.

But Whittaker is a proven goal scorer and creator at a Championship level, so letting someone of that quality go will require a significant sum coming in the other direction.

With West Ham now a promotion rival, selling to them in particular could really come back to bite Boro over the course of the campaign.

It should have to take a sum that is too good to turn down in order to cash in, potentially as much as £20 to 25 million, and it’s unclear whether the Hammers would be willing to pay that kind of fee for the 25-year-old.