Wayne Rooney breaks silence on Wolves and Rangers interest in Morgan Whittaker transfer

Plymouth Argyle manager Wayne Rooney has praised Morgan Whittaker amid ongoing transfer rumours linking him to Wolves and Glasgow Rangers, saying the striker is thriving in pre-season.

The Daily Record reported on Friday that a bid from Rangers for Whittaker had been turned down by Argyle, with the deal potentially worth more than £7m including bonuses. The Scottish giants are expected to return with a higher offer.

Whittaker, who scored 19 goals last season and won Argyle’s player of the year award, has attracted interest from several clubs, with Wolves among the Premier League parties interested.

Asked about Rangers’ offer, Argyle maintained his usual stance of not commenting on speculation.

Following the Pilgrims’ impressive 5-1 pre-season win at Cheltenham Town, Rooney addressed the Whittaker situation with Plymouth Live, saying: “It’s the first time I’ve heard of it,” Plymouth Live reports.

“I’ve said it before, Morgan is a fantastic player and I really enjoy working with him. We really like Morgan. If it’s not a crazy offer, we’re not going to take it.”

“Ultimately I want Morgan to stay at the football club because he is a very good player and he is the player who can make the difference.”

Whittaker scored a stunning second goal for the Pilgrims against Cheltenham, unleashing a superb left-footed strike from outside the box after his impressive run and cross from the right set up Ibrahim Cissoko to score.