Morgan Whittaker transfer truth emerges as Middlesbrough exit talk swirls | OneFootball

A new revelation on Morgan Whittaker's Middlesbrough future has emerged following reports linking the forward with a potential switch to Trabzonspor

Middlesbrough find themselves braced to lose star midfielder Hayden Hackney to the Premier League this summer after suffering defeat against Hull City in the Championship play-off final, though Kim Hellberg will be hoping to retain other prized assets at the Riverside Stadium in order to plot a fresh promotion bid in the 2026/27 season.

The Teessiders finished the regular season in fifth position before advancing to the play-off final at Wembley following Southampton’s stunning expulsion from the showpiece affair, with the Saints having initially ousted Boro amid the well-documented ‘Spygate’ scandal.

Oli McBurnie’s last-grasp winner ultimately ensured yet another campaign of Championship football on Teesside, though, leaving Middlesbrough to lick their wounds and prepare for another promotion push under Hellberg once the new season rolls around.

It does, of course, appear increasingly likely that such preparations will be undertaken without the services of the aforementioned Hackney, who continues to attract serious interest from a number of Premier League outfits including Everton and Tottenham Hotspur, and there is the feeling that the 2025/26 Championship Player of the Season has perhaps played his final game for Boro.

With Hackney primed to depart, however, Middlesbrough will be hoping to avoid further assets being pinched.

One player who has been linked with a move away from the club is Morgan Whittaker, although the truth of that story and Boro’s own stance and valuation on the divisive forward has now emerged in a new update.

Trabzonspor transfer truth emerges involving Middlesbrough's Morgan Whittaker

Reports in the Turkish media over the weekend suggested that Super Lig side Trabzonspor hold an interest in Whittaker’s signature, leaving some to question the 25-year-old’s future with Middlesbrough.

However, these links have been swiftly played down. As per a new update from the Northern Echo, Trabzonspor have not yet made an approach for Whittaker and, if there is indeed any interest whatsoever, it hardly appears to be at a serious stage.

Trabzonspor’s ability to complete a move would also have to be doubted owing to Middlesbrough’s valuation of Whittaker, which isn’t totally clear but is believed to be some way in excess of the Turkish club’s club-record £7.5 million transfer purchase.

Boro themselves are not believed to be looking to offload Whittaker following an impressive first full season, in which the ex-Plymouth Argyle starlet finished as his side’s leading goalscorer with 14 goals and seven assists from 43 appearances.

Whittaker has endured highs and lows in the north east since completing a controversial £5 million move from Home Park in January of last year, though, with his Middlesbrough career not really kicking into life until Hellberg replaced Rob Edwards earlier on in the season following a lengthy goal drought.

Middlesbrough should consider Morgan Whittaker sale at the right price

Despite Whittaker’s healthy goal return under Hellberg, he’s yet to completely win over the Middlesbrough faithful and often tends to divide opinion - just as he did in previous spells with Swansea City and Plymouth.

Undeniably talented, the versatile attacker’s consistency remains something of an issue and he was notably quiet throughout the play-offs, with his performance against Hull garnering widespread criticism.

He’s still clearly a massive asset to Middlesbrough at his best, but that doesn’t mean that the play-off finalists shouldn’t consider a sale at the right price.

A reported valuation north of £7.5 million does make it difficult to see exactly who could come in for Whittaker, and Middlesbrough would surely opt against selling to a divisional rival.

It means that, should an acceptable offer arrive, Whittaker’s next option could be a switch abroad - even if that’s not likely to be Trabzonspor and the prospect of the former England youth international actually moving on to pastures new feels slim at this moment in time.