Transfermarkt: Colorado Rapids Sign Middlesbrough's Whittaker for $13 Million, Setting Club Record

According to Transfermarkt, Colorado Rapids have signed Middlesbrough forward Morgan Whittaker for $13 million.

Whittaker has signed a Designated Player (DP) contract with the Major League Soccer club, running through the 2029/30 season, with an option to extend for the 2030/31 season.

Colorado Rapids president Padraig Smith said in a club statement: "Morgan is a player who has already proven he can change games. He will bring outstanding ability and a strong attacking threat to our team. He can create chances from wide areas and also score goals, while his vision, technical ability and decision-making make him a very good fit for Matt's tactical system. Morgan is in the prime of his career, and we believe he can make an immediate impact in MLS. We are very happy to welcome him to Colorado."

Whittaker has become the most expensive signing in Colorado Rapids history. The transfer fee also places him among the most expensive transfers in MLS history. Whittaker's market value is €18 million, surpassing Evander (Cincinnati) and Josh Sargent (Toronto), both valued at €16 million, to become the highest-valued player in MLS.

After Whittaker joined Colorado, Middlesbrough received a transfer fee below market value.

Despite selling Whittaker for a fee below market value, Middlesbrough will still profit from the deal. The Championship club signed the forward from Plymouth for €7.1 million in January 2025. Whittaker enjoyed his most prolific scoring season at Plymouth, scoring 19 goals and providing 8 assists in 46 Championship appearances. His numbers declined somewhat last season at Middlesbrough, but he still recorded 14 goals and 7 assists in 40 Championship matches.

However, Whittaker's performances at Middlesbrough were inconsistent. At one stage last season, the 25-year-old went nine consecutive league matches without scoring. He did not find the net again until the closing stages of the season, when he scored three goals in his final four games. This may have been one of the reasons Middlesbrough considered letting him leave. Whittaker can play in multiple positions and has been deployed as a winger, a forward, and even a creative playmaker.