Manchester United are one of the teams currently being linked with Sunderland man Chris Rigg, following his impressive start to the season.
In the past few months, Sunderland academy man Chris Rigg has had links to a number of top teams in Europe.
But the 17-year-old disappointed those teams by signing a professional contract with Sunderland during the summer, penning his future at the Stadium of Light until 2027.
Since, Rigg has become a key player under Regis Le Bris. The England youth international has featured in all six Championship games this season and has started the last five.
He scored his first goal of the season last time out, back-heeling the ball into the back of the net during a 1-0 win vs Middlesbrough.
Real Madrid have been linked with Rigg already this season. More recently though, it’s claimed that Manchester United could make a move for Rigg as early as January.
Pundit makes ‘big money’ claim about Chris Rigg amid Manchester United links
Inevitably, fans will start speculating about the potential price tag for Rigg at Sunderland.
Given his age, his ability, and the potential he’s yet to fulfil, fans may mark up Rigg as high as the £40million mark, though the Sunderland owners may be more reserved with their starting point.
Speaking to Football League World, pundit Carlton Palmer has given his verdict on the matter, saying: “I would think that Sunderland, when you look at what they got in for Jack Clarke, that they’d maybe be looking at a fee of about £25 million and add-ons at least for him.
“This boy has got a hell of a future and I don’t think Sunderland will want anything less than that; it will be big, big money.”
Why Chris Rigg transfer fee will be higher than Jack Clarke’s at Sunderland
Sunderland sold Jack Clarke to Ipswich Town during the summer. Despite the Black Cats receiving an initial £13.5million for Clarke, the reported final fee will reach £20million.
But no ‘top teams’ came in for Clarke, and so Sunderland would’ve been limited in how much they could’ve realistically charged for the winger.
With Rigg however, there’s nothing but so-called top teams in for Rigg, and so the price tag automatically goes up.
Sunderland can hold out for a fee in the region of £25million for Rigg, like Palmer says, despite his lack of inexperience and so on, because there’s so many big clubs with big money after him.
One day, he’ll surely net the Black Cats a huge sum of money.