Middlesbrough should look to rival two Premier League clubs for a signing who could unlock Marcus Forss’ full potential.
Boro have spent the early part of the 2024 summer transfer window adding quality depth to Michael Carrick’s squad.
Middlesbrough have signed four new players so far this window in Aidan Morris, Delano Burgzorg, Luke Ayling, and Harley Hunt.
The new influx of first-team players should help the club improve on their eighth-place finish from the 2023/24 Championship campaign.
Part of the reason Boro failed to make the top six last term was their constant injury issues.
One player who fell victim to the injury bug at the Riverside Stadium was Marcus Forss.
Forss missed the final month of 2023/24 after picking up a hamstring injury against Blackburn Rovers.
The latest fitness update on the Finn suggests he may miss the early part of this season, but he is still expected to play a key role across the coming campaign.
Middlesbrough should sign Morgan Whittaker
With Forss potentially set to be lacking fitness come the start of 2024/25, Middlesbrough should look to improve their right flank in the market.
One player the Teessiders could do this with is 23-year-old Plymouth Argyle wide man, Morgan Whittaker.
Plymouth narrowly avoided relegation from the Championship in the previous season and Whittaker was a key reason for that.
Whittaker scored 19 and assisted eight in 46 league games and has since earned praise from new Plymouth boss, Wayne Rooney.
He said: “Of course if you’re getting crazy offers, as a club you have to look at that, but we want him here, we want him to be part of the squad.
“He’s a fantastic player as we saw last season, but he’s a really good human being as well.”
Whittaker can unlock Marcus Forss potential at Middlesbrough
Football Insider claim that Premier League duo Wolverhampton Wanderers and Brentford want to sign the Englishman this summer.
But Boro should look to beat the top division sides to the signing of Whittaker as he could be key to unlocking Forss’ full potential.
Should Whittaker join Middlesbrough, he would provide depth at right wing while Forss works his way back to full fitness.
But even when Forss is back, the Plymouth man should rival Isaiah Jones for a starting berth on the flank.
This extra depth would allow Forss to play in his natural position of centre-forward.
The 25-year-old was only used as a striker on four occasions last term but still scored two of his seven goals when deployed there, highlighting how much more effective he is in that position.
But given Boro’s previous lack of depth on the right, Carrick has been forced to use Forss out wide – something he would no longer have to do if Whittaker signed.