This Sunderland teen is attracting interest from some of Europe’s biggest clubs, including Manchester United.
Sunderland have several exciting, young players on their books, but perhaps none more so than Chris Rigg.
The 16-year-old academy graduate made his first-team debut last season and has since made his Championship debut for the Black Cats this time round.
Rigg scored his first-ever professional goal in a Carabao Cup clash vs Crewe Alexandra at the start of the season, becoming the club’s youngest-ever scorer, and he’s since featured seven times in the league with one goal to his name.
Now though, it seems like interest in the Hebburn-born winger is really heating up.
Manchester United among Euro giants chasing Chris Rigg
An emerging report from Sunderland Echo has revealed some serious interest in Rigg.
Their report says that Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool, and Manchester City are all keen, as well as German giants Bayern Munich.
Surprisingly, Tony Mowbray‘s Birmingham City are also keen on a potential swoop for Rigg, as per Sunderland Echo.
Rigg signed a two-year scholarship with Sunderland last summer after interest from neighbours Newcastle United, and Sunderland Echo say that Rigg could technically leave now, ‘if a fee was agreed’ between the Black Cats and the buying club.
Additionally, ‘Sunderland would be compensated via a tribunal if Rigg was to leave at the end of his scholarship deal and move elsewhere’.
Rigg, described as ‘incredible’ by Sunderland captain Luke O’Nien, cannot sign a professional deal until he turns 17 in June this year.
Now’s the time to give Rigg regular game time at Sunderland
Michael Beale has recently said that he intends to give Rigg some more regular game time in the second half of the season.
The teenager has only featured once under the new boss and has some fresh competition for a spot on the wing from new boys Calum Styles and Romaine Mundle.
But Rigg looks as though he could make a few substitute appearances between now and the summer, and potentially be given his chance in the starting lien up too.
And doing so will give Rigg the exposure needed to boost his transfer value.
Whether or not the club intends to sell him, and whether or not Rigg intends to leave, giving him some game time now will be great experience and it’ll help put him in the shop window, so should any team make a move, the price would go up.
He’s certainly a huge prospect and he’s being patient in getting his chance in the first-team.
But he’s still impressing in the youth ranks and he’s catching the eyes of some huge teams across Europe, so Chris Rigg is certainly a name to remember for the future.