Middlesbrough: Morgan Whittaker revelation emerges involving Ben Doak | OneFootball

Whittaker looks set to be pursued by Boro, regardless of whether Doak is recalled or not.

Middlesbrough's pursuit of Plymouth Argyle winger Morgan Whittaker will not be affected by Ben Doak and his potential recall before the deadline passes.

That is according to the Northern Echo, who believe Boro are keen to pursue Whittaker, even if they manage to retain Scotland international Doak for the remainder of the campaign.

Liverpool loan man Doak has been heavily linked with a move back to the Premier League in the past month or so, with AFC Bournemouth and Crystal Palace both thought to be keen on the 19-year-old.

Both of these teams have seen the winger thrive at the Riverside during the first half of his loan spell on Teesside, with the player making a decent number of goalscoring contributions.

However, it's currently unclear whether a January window move will materialise.

Speculation surrounding his future seems to have died down a little in recent days, but Michael Carrick's side may still be on high alert until the deadline passes, considering the interest that Doak has already garnered.

Morgan Whittaker pursuit unaffected by Ben Doak future

The Northern Echo believes the club's interest in Whittaker is unrelated to the Doak saga, which could drag on for a little while longer yet.

In fact, Boro are thought to be long-term admirers of the Plymouth player, who has continued to make some positive contributions this term, having enjoyed a brilliant 2023/24 campaign.

The player has thrived at Home Park and this has put Boro on red alert, with the Teesside outfit ideally needing a replacement for Isaiah Jones.

The same report also adds that Carrick's side are unlikely to sign Doak in the summer, regardless of which division they are in, so a move for Whittaker could potentially be vital.

However, they aren't alone in the race for the Argyle star, with Burnley also being linked.

Whittaker is a player who is likely to attract plenty more interest before the window closes.

And it wouldn't be a surprise to see more bids go in for him in the coming weeks.

Plymouth Live believes Boro's bid is below the Pilgrims' valuation of the player, so Steve Gibson may have to fork out quite a bit more to get a deal over the line.

Considering they have sold Jones, they should have the funds to make a very attractive offer, whilst keeping an eye on their financial fair play situation.