Middlesbrough will aim for promotion again next season after losing in the play-off final to Hull City last May.

The Teesside club has not competed in the Premier League since 2017, but they will be hoping to return in the upcoming season.

Kim Hellberg’s team finished fifth in the table and were awarded a spot in the final as their semi-final opponents Southampton were kicked out of the competition.

But Oli McBurnie’s goal was the difference between the two teams, and Borough responded by making a big splash in the transfer market this summer.

However, the team has struggled to retain key players, as evidenced by Hayden Hackney’s move to Everton.

And talkSPORT has revealed that Morgan Whittaker is a transfer target for newly relegated West Ham, who will compete with Middlesbrough for promotion next season.

Middlesbrough will not miss Morgan Whittaker.

When asked about the likelihood of West Ham signing Whittaker, FLW’s Middlesbrough fan analyst Liam Day stated that he may not appeal to Hammers supporters because he is a luxury player.

He feels the London club will be promoted regardless of whether they buy the forward, and that this deal could be too much for Nuno Espirito Santos’ side.

“I believe West Ham will be a different quality than anyone in the league this season,” Day told Football League World.

“They’ve got Jarrod Bowen, who appears to be staying, they haven’t sold many players, and the ones they have have been sold for a lot of money, and they were bound to lose.

“So, with their current group, they should win the league easily, and adding Morgan Whittaker — who is a bit of a luxury player, so I’m not sure how well he’d be loved — would be a bit of a joke.

“And I’d be very, very, very surprised if West Ham don’t go up.”

Day has stated that he would not be upset if Whittaker was sold, despite the fact that he was their top scorer last season, because he is not a perfect fit for what Hellberg wants in a player and is therefore fine with a probable transfer.

“I think Whittaker is a bit of an unnecessary signing, but if it happened I wouldn’t be too upset,” he said.

“There were occasions in the play-off games, at Southampton and Hull, when you were thinking, ‘Why are you going around so much? You’ve barely run.

“And I believe Hellberg is looking for players who are willing to die for the badge and run nonstop, and Whittaker is not that type of player.”

“But, on the other hand, he is someone who makes something out of nothing, and he was our leading scorer last season, so it’s not a bad thing if he stays.

“But I won’t be gutted if he leaves.”

Morgan Whittaker’s value to Middlesbrough

Whittaker joined Middlesbrough in the January 2025 transfer window and has since made 56 regular league appearances for the club.

Since Hellberg took over as head coach in November of last year, the 25-year-old has scored 14 goals and assisted eight times.

Morgan Whittaker’s striking stats 2025/26 – according to Fotmob.com

Stat

Per 90

Goals

0.47

Expected Goals (xG)

0.29

xG on target (GOT)

0.32

Non-penalty xG

0.29

Shots

3.33

Shots on target.

1.07

Headed shots

0.30

Boro’s contract with the attacker expires in June 2029, therefore the club will not be in a hurry to sell him this summer.

It is unclear what kind of asking price Borough has set for Whittaker, but they are expected to command a considerable fee.

And, given that West Ham are also a promotion contender this season, it’s uncertain whether the Teesside club would be willing to sell to the Hammers.

Middlesbrough’s recent arrivals, namely Will Lankshear and Kyle Joseph, make it unlikely that Morgan Whittaker will be sold.

However, Whittaker is a proven goal scorer and creator at the Championship level, so losing someone of his calibre will necessitate a substantial transfer fee.

With West Ham now a promotion contender, selling to them in particular might have serious consequences for Borough throughout the season.

It should have to accept a payment that is too good to pass up in order to cash in, potentially between £20 and £25 million, and it’s unclear whether the Hammers would be willing to pay that kind of fee for the 25-year-old.