Finn Azaz reveals reason Morgan Whittaker left Plymouth Argyle to join Middlesbrough | OneFootball

The former Plymouth Argyle duo have recently reunited at the Riverside

Middlesbrough midfielder Finn Azaz has revealed the conversations he had with Morgan Whittaker, as well as how they influenced the winger's move to the Riverside Stadium.

Whittaker quickly became one of the Championship's hottest properties at Plymouth Argyle, having signed for the Greens on a permanent basis for a club-record fee in the summer of 2023 after an initial loan stint at Home Park proved crucial in the club's League One title success under Steven Schumacher.

Likewise, Azaz is someone who knew the South West club incredibly well, having enjoyed two extremely productive loan stints in the second and third tier from Aston Villa, before Michael Carrick secured the playmaker's services for a reported £2m fee in January 2024.

The Teesside outfit were once again able to flex their financial and pulling prowess this winter too, as they fought off competition from Burnley to bring Whittaker 377 miles north-east for £5m on January 24th.

Unsurprisingly, Azaz has been talking up the winger's abilities as Boro look to secure a play-off place for the second time in three seasons, as well as what he believes swayed his colleague's decision amid plenty of transfer interest.

Fin Azaz makes Morgan Whittaker admission as former Plymouth Argyle duo reunited at Middlesbrough

Whittaker took to the Championship like a duck to water upon his return, after previous spells at this level with Swansea City and Derby County.

The wide man was a talismanic figure for the Green Army last term, scoring 19 times, registering a further eight assists and earning a place in the Championship Team of the Season as Argyle narrowly avoided an immediate return to League One, before scoring just four times for the club in his final half-season - which included a memorable strike against Brentford in the FA Cup.

However, Boro's Republic of Ireland international backs Whittaker to return to such veins of form and have a successful end to the campaign.

“It’s great to be back with him,” Azaz said via the Northern Echo. “We’ve got a great understanding, and I’m really looking forward to the push towards the end of the season."

“He’s really intelligent, one of the best left foots I’ve played with, and obviously he comes inside looking for me and vice versa and he’s got great finishing as well which will help me get a few assists," he added.

“I know he likes the ball played into him on that left foot, and it’s just getting the combinations going really. We haven’t played with each other for a couple of years, but we have in the past and that helps.”

“I told him how much we have in this team and how much he would fit in,” the former Villa man continued.

“We spoke all about the club and the fans and this team and the way we played, everything rolled into one. Obviously, that was one of the reasons he wanted to come here," he concluded.

Morgan Whittaker will hope for Premier League shot amid Middlesbrough's play-off push

Following his move across the country, Boro's play-off ambitions took a massive hit amid calls for a changing of the guard as Carrick suffered five consecutive defeats.

However, a 3-1 victory at Stoke City, in which Whittaker turned provider for Marcus Forss, proved the perfect tonic for the Reds to get their top-six bid back on track, having won three and drawn one of their subsequent five encounters.

Azaz and Whittaker will hope to continue their telepathic understanding once the international break concludes, with the Ireland international currently leading the assist charts in the division alongside West Brom winger, Tom Fellows.

If Middlesbrough are to overtake the Baggies and, or, Coventry City in the final eight matches of the season, Whittaker will have plenty of responsibility on his shoulders to register as many goal contributions as possible, with the end goal a potential first stint as a Premier League player.