Morgan Whittaker Rangers transfer door could open as Plymouth outline stance
Yesterday at 06:01 AM
Rangers are linked to many, many players in each transfer window. But one that doesn’t seem to go away is Morgan Whittaker.
The Plymouth winger was first mentioned in the same breath as the Gers when still a Swansea player but on loan to Argyle, and performing to a very high level, when they were still competing in League One.
Michael Beale was very keen on the winger as he looked to add quality on the left flank, but in the end he became a Pilgrims player permanently.
He continued to show his worth in a green shirt but now in the Championship, and that saw his value soar. But that didn’t stop the link emerging again with Rangers apparently still keeping tabs despite Beale having been replaced by Philippe Clement.
Plymouth wouldn’t stand in Rangers target Whittaker’s way
A number of players in Wayne Rooney’s team are attracting attention as they punch above their weight in the Championship but the 23-year-old has been their star man.
Burnley were previously keen too and director of football Neil Dewsnip says they should take interest in their players as a compliment. And he hinted they wouldn’t stand in anyone’s way if they wanted to move on and any offer was right.
He told Western Morning News: “We shouldn’t be frightened of that. We should take that as a compliment. We don’t want to lose our best players, let me absolutely state strongly, but if we get to a point whereby whoever it may be wants to leave then we have to understand that and we have to plan accordingly, and find others who keep Argyle going in the direction we want it to do, which is onwards and upwards.”
Rangers target Whittaker key to Plymouth
However, Whittaker himself could be harder to prise away such is his importance to the team as Dewnsip discussed just how crucial the former Swansea man is to them at the front end of the pitch.
He added: “He’s a major part of our attacking prowess. The threat hasn’t gone away. I think it has got harder for Morgan because people are aware of what he can do. I think when Finn (Azaz) left in January his supply ran out a little, not completely, but a little and he found it hard to get his goals.
“What I would say this year is we have, I believe, more attacking options. Morgan is part of our attacking prowess, he is not the only part of that, and I suspect Ryan Hardie would have something to say about that from last year anyway.
“So we are really pleased Morgan is still with us. He proved his worth again for us (against Blackburn), a kind of goal Morgan rarely scores – right between the posts, in and around that second six-yard box, and a fantastic guided header into the bottom corner.
“We kind of think Morgan smashes them in from 25 yards in the top corner. Maybe he’s starting to work out other methods of getting his goals, which again just proves how he is important to us.”
One top of all of that, the highly-rated wide man will likely have a hefty price tag, with £7m to £8m quoted in the last window. It remains to be seen if Rangers could stretch to that, particularly in the January transfer window after the struggles of the summer.
Plymouth were pleased to hold onto him in the last window and, while they insist they wouldn’t stand in anyone’s way, might be slightly more difficult to deal with in this case.
