What Morgan Whittaker’s new manager has said about him since his Middlesbrough exit | OneFootball

Morgan Whittaker has settled in well at his new club in the MLS, managed by former Fulham, Bournemouth and Tottenham coach Matt Wells

One of the more surprising late-window moves in the Championship this past summer saw Morgan Whittaker leave Middlesbrough for new pastures in the MLS.

There wasn't much indication throughout the offseason and in the first month of the campaign that the 25-year-old was going to leave the Riverside. Whittaker was a cause of frustration among Boro fans regarding his consistency, but he still managed 21 goal involvements last season.

The versatile attacker had started each of the opening five games for Kim Hellberg this season, including the 3-1 win against West Brom, three days before a deal had been agreed with Colorado Rapids.

The MLS outfit broke their transfer record to bring Whittaker to the club, which is managed by a familiar name in English coaching circles.

What Colorado Rapids boss Matt Wells has said about Morgan Whittaker after moving to the MLS

Action Images

Whittaker's new manager in Colorado is Matt Wells, a former academy footballer at Tottenham Hotspur and an assistant to Scott Parker in the Spurs academy and then in the first teams at Fulham, Bournemouth and Club Brugge.

He was part of Ange Postecoglou's coaching staff back at Tottenham for the two seasons the Australian spent in the Spurs dugout, and in December last year, he was hired by the Rapids in what is his first senior role in management.

The 38-year-old was very excited when the £7.9 million deal to bring Whittaker to his side was completed, as he knew from his time in England how much of a talent he could be at this level.

"Morgan is a player that is going to bolster our attack immensely this season and for years to come," he said. "His playing style is exactly what I look for in an attacker, and he has that individual magic that will help elevate us to the next level.

"His output speaks for itself in an incredibly competitive league such as the Championship. He's a player I know well from my time in England, and understanding how in demand he is, it speaks volumes about our project here that we've managed to secure his signature."

It's been a rough few years for the Rapids since they won the Western Conference in 2021, finishing outside of the play-offs in three of the last four seasons and being knocked out at the first hurdle in the other. Wells believes Whittaker can help bring about success in the years to come.

"This is a player who is going to be a foundational piece for this club, and the supporters will be able to see that as soon as he steps onto the pitch in a Rapids shirt," he added.

Matt Wells was full of praise for Morgan Whittaker after scoring his first MLS goals in their 3-3 draw with Seattle Sounders

Action Images

After coming off the bench to make his debut in a 1-0 win over Montreal Impact, Whittaker was handed his first league start the following week as Colorado took on Seattle.

It was a brilliant first league start at his new club, as Whittaker opened the scoring in the first half and then made it 3-1 with 15 minutes to go — both goals assisted by Paxten Aaronson, brother of Leeds United attacker Brenden.

In the end, Colorado conceded twice late on to draw the game 3-3, and while Wells cut a frustrated figure after the game, none of that anger was directed at how Whittaker performed.

"I think, of all my frustrations tonight, he is excluded from them," Wells said post-match. "He is a source of happiness, joy, hope and belief, based on what I already know, but then you've seen him produce those moments of magic out there.

"He's got wonderful technique. Tonight, I played him in the 10, but he can play as a nine, off the right wing and even sometimes off the left, which is great for us because, when teams prepare, they know his quality, and if he's consistently on the right, they can limit supply to him.

"I know if I get him in situations, the rest will fall into place. His quality will be massive to the team. What a moment for him to score his first MLS goal; hopefully that can be a springboard for him."

Middlesbrough have moved on quickly from Morgan Whittaker

Action Images

The somewhat surprising decision to sell Whittaker made a little more sense when Middlesbrough were then linked with a loan move for Brighton starlet Amario Cozier-Duberry.

The deal was completed quickly, and the 21-year-old has wasted no time in getting up to speed both in Kim Hellberg's system and in the Championship.

Cozier-Duberry has two goals and an assist in three league outings for Boro, playing off the right and behind the main striker in the role that was opened up when Whittaker departed for the MLS.

He even took Whittaker's number eleven upon his arrival. Evidently, the fact he was a replacement for the 25-year-old hasn't been that subtle, but with his goal output so far, many are tipping him to have more of an impactful year than the new Colorado Rapids attacker would have.

Ultimately, Rapids boss Matt Wells is very happy with his marquee signing, though, so this is seemingly going down as a rare win-win transfer.