The Sunderland Echo says that Liverpool is interested in signing Sunderland midfielder Chris Rigg. The 16-year-old is currently one of the country’s hottest prospects, and he is expected to attract the attention of England’s elite in the near future.
According to the Sunderland Echo, Manchester United, Chelsea, and even Bayern Munich are all interested in Rigg.
Who is Chris Rigg?
Last season, the 15-year-old made his debut for Sunderland in the FA Cup Third Round against Fulham. Rigg even managed to get his name on the scoreboard briefly, but the linesman ruled the goal out for offside.
Rigg scored his first senior goal at the age of 16, in a 5-0 victory over Southampton at the Stadium of Light in September. Since making his debut at Craven Cottage, the teenager has now made 11 senior appearances for the Black Cats.
Many Sunderland fans believe he should be playing more first-team minutes, but the Wearside club appears unwilling to hasten his development.
Contract Details Receiving Attention
Despite receiving a contract extension recently, Riggs’ term with Sunderland is expected to expire in June 2025. With just over a year remaining on his contract, interest in the wonderkid has risen in recent months.
Top clubs are keeping an eye on several Black Cats players, including Jack Clarke and Dan Neil. Sunderland will surely try all in their power to keep Rigg from leaving early, but the ball may eventually fall into the teenager’s court.
According to the Sunderland Echo, Rigg only signed a two-year scholarship deal on Wearside because he is not yet of legal age to sign professional terms with any team. As a result, Rigg’s future at the Stadium of Light remains uncertain.
Rivals are competing.
As previously said, Manchester United and Chelsea are both interested in signing Rigg. Sunderland’s rivals, Newcastle United, have also expressed a long-standing interest in the teenager. Rigg’s family is from North Tyneside, but he is unlikely to burn bridges with the club that has helped him succeed.
According to the source, Rigg’s team would expect more first-team opportunities throughout the 2023-24 season before making a decision on his long-term future.
BAG FULL OF POTENTIAL, BUT HOW MUCH ABILITY?
Rigg would probably struggle with a sudden promotion to the Premier League at such a young age. However, we’ve all seen Liverpool’s academy produce excellent results in recent years, like Curtis Jones, Harvey Elliott, Jarrell Quansah, Conor Bradley, and Ben Doak.
No 15-year-old starts for a top-tier Championship club in the FA Cup unless they have exceptional talent. It’s also worth noting that Rigg looked impressive in his cameo against a quality Fulham side.
CLEAR CANVAS FOR WORKING WITH
The most exciting aspect of getting a player like Chris Rigg is that the head coach can shape him into anything Liverpool requires. The 16-year-old plays mostly as a more advanced midfielder, similar to a number ten. However, he’s demonstrated a high level of adaptability, which might be used to develop him into an eight or even a six.
Liverpool has historically targeted youthful talent from rival clubs, with Elliott and Doak serving as poster boys for this tactic. Both teenagers have found their way into Jurgen Klopp’s first squad, with Elliott already making 97 professional appearances for the Reds.
A similar tactic might be used in the pursuit of Chris Rigg, who is expected to become a key player for England’s National Team in the future as the current captain of the Under-18 side.
