Morgan Reece Whittaker (born 7 January 2001) is an English footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder or right winger for the EFL Championship club Middlesbrough.
Whittaker began his playing career at Derby County's academy before making his senior debut for the club in August 2019.
On 12 August 2019, Whittaker made his professional debut as an 87th-minute substitute in the EFL Cup for Derby County against Scunthorpe United and made his first start in a 3âÂÂ0 defeat away to Nottingham Forest in the same competition. He signed a new contract with Derby running until June 2023 on 22 January 2020. Whittaker finished the season with three starts and eighteen substitute appearances and scored his first career goal with the second Derby goal in a 3âÂÂ1 win away to Birmingham City on the final day.
Whittaker started the 2020âÂÂ21 season by scoring the winning-penalty in a 3âÂÂ2 shootout victory over Barrow in the EFL Cup and continued making frequent substitute appearances throughout the course of the season.
On 1 February 2021, Whittaker joined fellow Championship side Swansea City on a four-and-a-half-year deal. Nine days later, Whittaker scored on his debut for the Swans in a 3âÂÂ1 home defeat by Premier League side Manchester City in the FA Cup. His first league goal came on 1 May 2021 in the penultimate game of the season to equalise in an eventual 2âÂÂ1 victory over Derby County that kept his former side firmly in the relegation battle.
On 24 August 2021, Whittaker scored a hat-trick in a 4âÂÂ1 win over Plymouth Argyle in the second round of the EFL Cup. It was the first hat-trick scored by a Swansea player since Scott Sinclair in the 2011 Championship play-off final.
On 1 January 2022, Whittaker joined Lincoln City on loan for the remainder of the season. He made his debut against Oxford United on 8 January 2022, starting and scoring in the game.
On 20 July 2022, Whittaker joined Plymouth Argyle on a season-long loan deal. Having scored three vital goals and claiming an assist across September 2022, Whittaker was awarded the EFL League One Player of the Month Award with Argyle sitting top of the league.
On 4 January 2023 Swansea City exercised their recall clause in his season-long loan. Whittaker had scored nine goals and created seven assists in 25 third-tier appearances since moving to Home Park in July 2022.
On 17 July 2023, Whittaker returned to Plymouth Argyle in a deal reported to be worth around ã1 million plus add-ons â a record fee for the club.
Whittaker would go on to score on his debut in a 3âÂÂ1 win over Huddersfield Town.
On 23 September 2023, Whittaker scored a hat-trick for Argyle in a 6âÂÂ2 win against Norwich City.
Whittaker was awarded the EFL Championship Player of the Month award for January 2024, having scored in four out of five of the club's league fixtures. His performances throughout the season earned him a place in the EFL Championship Team of the Season after scoring 20 goals in 50 appearances in all competitions. He was later named as the club's Player of the Season.
On 21 January 2025, Whittaker missed Plymouth's 5âÂÂ0 defeat to Burnley with manager Miron Muslic saying that Whittaker had not shown up in time for the game despite being selected amidst rumours of a potential transfer departure. Whittaker has denied these claims.
On 24 January 2025, Whittaker joined Middlesbrough for an undisclosed fee, which has been reported to be ã5 million plus ã2.5 million worth of add-ons. On 17 October 2025, he scored his first goal for the club, netting the decisive score in a 2âÂÂ1 defeat of Ipswich Town.
Having represented England at U16 to U20 level, Whittaker made his U19 debut on 9 September 2019 during a 1âÂÂ0 defeat to Germany in Haiger.
On 13 October 2020, Whittaker made his debut for the England U20s during a 2âÂÂ0 victory over Wales at St. George's Park.
Plymouth Argyle
Individual