WAYNE Rooney was delighted to get a second shot at managing Morgan Whittaker.

It was Rooney who was in charge of Whittaker when Derby sold the talented young forward to Swansea in 2021, but it was a transfer forced by finance. The Rams were in administration at the time.

How delighted Rooney was when he didn't lose Whittaker for a second time in the summer after taking charge of Plymouth. Burnley made three different deadline day offers for Whittaker in the summer but were left disappointed after Argyle repeatedly said no.

The Clarets tried again on Friday but by that stage Whittaker's mind was made up. He was Boro bound.

In tempting Plymouth to do business and Whittaker to leave, Boro succeeded where plenty of clubs have failed over the course of the last 18 months. Lazio tried a year ago. Other clubs were interested this month.

• TAKE ADVANTAGE OF OUR SPECIAL OFFER AND SUBSCRIBE TO THE NORTHERN ECHO FOR JUST £3 FOR THREE MONTHS FOR FULL ACCESS TO ALL OF OUR BORO COVERAGE

Whittaker scored 20 goals last season, playing his way into the EFL's official Championship Team of the Season. The 10 other players selected for the side were from teams who finished in the top seven. Plymouth finished 21st, avoiding relegation by a single point.

Crysencio Summerville, named on the opposite flank to Whittaker in the Team of the Season, cost West Ham United in excess of £25m in the summer. Boro paid £5m plus £2.5m in add-ons for Whittaker.

Whittaker has been on Boro's radar since Kieran Scott joined the club as Head of Football. Indeed, Scott is understood to have first watched the forward when he was part of the recruitment team at Norwich City.

Boro have kept close tabs on him since, with Chris Jones, head of recruitment, understood to have watched Whittaker in person on numerous occasions over the course of the last two years.

As is often the case with transfers, timing is key. This was the first window in which Plymouth showed a willingness to sell and it happened to come at a time when Boro were looking to add to their attack. The plan was always to replace Isaiah Jones and Boro need to prepare for life beyond Ben Doak. Whittaker was the top target. Plymouth's Bali Mumba is not a Boro target, despite links this month.

RECOMMENDED READING:

• Full-time reaction, 'horrible' Carrick admission & fair Middlesbrough question

• Carrick on Emmanuel Latte Lath & Seny Dieng injuries, transfer impact & imminent exit

• Boro disbelief & unwanted reminder after transfer delight - and Latte Lath wait

There's plenty Boro's recruitment and coaching team like about him: his size and athleticism, bravery to carry the ball and ability to find space in high areas.

He's a team player. He was never expected to play for Plymouth against Burnley on Wednesday night, with boss Miron Muslic meeting with the player on the morning of his game and outlining his plan to select players who he knew would be at the club beyond the window. Muslic's claim after the game that Whittaker had failed to show up was bewildering and will surely have not gone down well in the Argyle dressing room, where Whittaker was a popular figure.

He had a good relationship on and off the pitch with Finn Azaz at Home Park and is delighted to have reunited with his former teammate at the Riverside.

The area as well as the club appealed to Whittaker this month. He loved living on the coast at Swansea and Plymouth. Don't be surprised to see him walking on Saltburn or Redcar beach with his three dogs.

And don't be surprised if he comes up with some crucial matchwinning moments in the second half of the season.

His last goal for Plymouth was the late winner to stun Premier League side Brentford in the FA Cup.

Earlier this season he scored a 97th minute winner away at Blackburn.

"The reason I leave him on the pitch every game is because he has moments, like you could see on Saturday," said former boss Rooney in the week after that game.

"He has those moments, 97th minute and he wins us the game."

He models his game on Neymar but has never forgotten the importance of enjoying his football.

"Since I can remember, he's been the main one that I've always wanted to be like and play like," he said in a previous interview with Sky Sports.

"He just shows so much freedom playing and he's just a really good person to watch.

"I think you can sometimes get too much in your head that you have to perform, perform, perform, and you forget to enjoy what you're doing because you've worked so hard to get to this moment.

"You have to enjoy it instead of putting so much pressure on yourself to do well and be the best. You need to enjoy yourself as well."