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Major League Soccer

4 September 2026

By Cal Meachem

TRANSFER TRACKER STATUS: Signing

Colorado Rapids have signed winger Morgan Whittaker from English Championship club Middlesbrough FC, the club announced on Friday.

The 25-year-old former England youth international joins for a club-record fee reportedly worth $10.7 million.

Whittaker has signed a deal running through the 2029-30 MLS season, with an option for 2030-31. He will take up both a Designated Player slot and an international roster slot.

"Morgan is a proven difference-maker who will add outstanding quality and a significant attacking threat to our team," said Rapids president Pádraig Smith.

"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 [Wells'] game model.

"Morgan is entering the prime years of his career, and we believe he can make an immediate and significant impact in MLS. We are delighted to welcome him to Colorado."

Whittaker has spent his entire professional career in England, featuring for Derby County, Lincoln City, Swansea City and Plymouth Argyle before moving to Middlesbrough.

Overall, Whittaker has recorded 59g/28a in 258 senior appearances. Last season, he produced 14g/7a as Middlesbrough reached the Championship Playoff Final.

The Rapids are reshaping their attack during the summer window. After trading leading scorer Rafael Navarro to St. Louis CITY SC for $12 million, Colorado have brought in Whittaker, Ghana winger Ibrahim Sadiq and Israel international forward Sayed Abu Farkhi.

"Morgan is a player that is going to bolster our attack immensely this season and for years to come," said Rapids head coach Matt Wells.

"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, and the supporters will be able to see that as soon as he steps onto the pitch in a Rapids shirt."

At present, Colorado are seventh in the Western Conference with 31 points and a 10W-11L-1D record as they chase a return to the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs.