Commerce City, Colo. – Colorado Rapids have confirmed the signing of right winger Morgan Whittaker from Middlesborough FC in the EFL Championship. The club announced the player Friday as a Designated Player. The fee is believed to be a club record for $10.7 million, exceeding last summer’s record fee of $8 million for Paxten Aaronson.
The contract is for four-and-a-half seasons through 2029-30. There is a club option for 2030-31.
Colorado was able to make this signing with the recent sales of Lucas Herrington and Rafael Navarro. This is the biggest signing in club history in terms of reinvesting a transfer profit to change the trajectory of the club.
It was looking like it was going to be a quiet end of the window. Then Ben Jacobs and Tom Bogert reported Tuesday morning the Rapids were signing Whittaker. That news is official. The club also confirmed the signing of winger Ibrahim Sadiq and U22 forward Sayed Abu Farkhi.
Morgan Reece Whittaker. Age 25. Right winger, but plays across the front line. Had 14 goals and 7 assists for Boro in a promotion challenge last season. Decent numbers in a comparable league to MLS.
Previously played at Plymouth Argyle where he lit up the Championship for a club that was happy to be in the second division. Also played for Lincoln City, Swansea, and Derby. Capped at the U20 and U18 level for England.
“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 outputs speak for themselves in an incredibly competitive league such as the EFL 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. This is a player who is going to be a foundational piece for this club,” said Head Coach Matt Wells.
“His ability to both create and score goals from wide areas, combined with his vision, technical quality and decision-making, makes him an excellent fit for Matt’s game model. Morgan is entering the prime years of his career, and we believe he can make an immediate and significant impact in MLS,” added Club President Pádraig Smith.
Stats wise, he’s a good Champo version of Dante Sealy. Goal dangerous inverted winger. Good at keeping possession, though plays it a little safe unless he’s trying to score himself. Plays direct to goal in transition. He’s good for a banger and free kick a few times a season.
His highlights look similar to the other wingers Colorado has been linked to this window. Matt Wells clearly had a type of player he was looking for. I do have a little concern they’ve over-indexed on wingers just want to score rather than contribute to the system. What’s that mean for Sayed Abu Farkhi?
Boro Twitter has mixed opinions on him. Surely Wells knows somebody who knows him well and the club did their character references to ensure he’s a good culture fit.
He needs to be the match-winning winger the Rapids have been looking for. Abu Farkhi needs to be an impact player as well. Especially with Navarro departing the club. There are the expectations that come with being the biggest signing in club history by $3 million. And being signed using money from a sale that otherwise wouldn’t have been provided by ownership.
If there are some concerns, it’s that Boro’s last top scorer to come to MLS, Emmanuel Latte Lath, was an overpay by Atlanta United. He was a bust. Championship players have a mixed record coming to MLS. There’s been Bradley Wright-Phillips getting picked up on a flyer by New York Red Bulls. He scored 100 goals for the club. Then there’s the aforementioned Latte Lath.
All eyes will be on Whittaker to be a match winner and leader. Especially with the emotionally bittersweet departure of “the guy” Rafa Navarro.
This is the first move of the Wells Era that seems to be a final big move. The club isn’t buying this player with the prospect of signing him. They were trying to get a DP winger but not overspent, i.e. pay $10 million for a player work $7 million. A one-time $11 million check for sure thing of a DP is good business.
I wonder how much upside there would be. Say Whittaker lights MLS up. Does a Championship or lower tier Premier League team offer $15 million for him? He’s in the prime of his career age wise. He was starting for a club that was probably going to contend for automatic promotion to the Prem. What convinced him to leave that now to join the Rapids for the rest of his 20s?
Whittaker, Abu Farkhi, and Sadiq bring the total spend this summer to around $18 million. That huge by Rapids standards. It also leaves around $6 million cash on hand from the Herrington and Navarro sales not accounted for. Yet. To say nothing of the GAM. See the full breakdown here.
Colorado Rapids play Columbus Crew tomorrow in Ohio at 5:30 p.m. MT. Whittaker and Sadiq do not yet have their paperwork to be eligible for selection. Burgundy Wave will follow that story ahead of the September 16 Open Cup semifinal.
Thank you for reading Burgundy Wave. Support us via our Patreon starting at $5/month. You can also make a one-time contribution via Tip Jar. We’re always looking for new talent. Let us know if you’re interested in covering Colorado Soccer.
Eamon Shaw 