Interest from clubs like Bayern Munich and Manchester United could tempt Chris Rigg away from Sunderland sooner rather than later
With interest from big clubs all over Europe, Sunderland FC may have to prepare for the worst when it comes to
.
The 16-year-old started to be introduced into the Black Cats squad last season when he was a year younger, but he has now become part of the Championship action this season, making seven appearances so far and even scoring against Southampton in his debut Championship outing for the club.
Despite Sunderland challenging for the play-off places, both Mick Beale and Tony Mowbray found time to help bed the youngster into the team, something that could pay dividends in the future if a big club makes a bid for the youngster.
A number of teams are sniffing around Rigg, although Sunderland may not have much to say about the move in the near future.
Multiple clubs are linked with a move for Rigg
Following his debut at the age of 15 in the FA Cup last year, a number of sides have been linked with a move for English wonderkid Rigg.
Big European sides like Bayern Munich, Manchester United, Man City and Liverpool have all been linked with a transfer deal this week for the 16-year-old, who is turning heads as one of the top young prospects at the Stadium of Light at the moment.
Just over a year on from his first appearance for the Black Cats, this could be life-changing for the youngster, who still has another year left of his scholarship with the club.
While a move away to a title-challenging team may be too much for him to turn down, Sunderland will not want to let him go if they do not have to.
Sunderland may have to accept the worst regarding Rigg transfer
While a move to a big side like Bayern or Man United will be incredibly tempting to a 16-year-old, Rigg should think about what is best for his career when making a decision about his future.
:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24393744/1246618227.jpg)
The midfielder has already played seven times for the Black Cats this season, most recently in the 3-1 victory over Stoke City last month.
While they were generally short cameos at the end of games, the fact the club have given such a young, unproven player minutes in the league show just how highly they rate him.
It is expected that, should the youngster stay at the Stadium of Light, opportunities for more first team football will arise.
Sunderland turned down the chance to sign midfielders like Yann M’Vila after the player expressed interest in rejoining the club, which gives Rigg a clearer path into the first-team under Michael Beale as a result.
If he were to move to a bigger club in the top division, there is a good chance he would be stuck in their under-18 or under-21 team, missing out on the chance of first-team football for a number of years.
Meanwhile, the Black Cats have shown their willingness to give young players a chance.
The squad have the youngest average age in the league, and have players such as Dan Neil and Anthony Patterson who at the age of 22 and 23 respectively have over 100 matches to their names.
Rigg signed a two-year scholarship with the club last season, so he has at least another year at the club.
With a number of clubs circling, the Sunderlnad hierarchy may be tempted to negotiate a deal with a big club for Rigg to get some extra money into the budget for next year’s transfers, with there being no guarantee that the teen will sign a professional deal.
However, we have seen with players like Jude Bellingham’s move from Birmingham that the club can receive big money if they tie the player down to a deal and continue to give him minutes on the pitch.
It may be the best thing for the club to try and negotiate a contract before the player turns 17, although it is unknown if Rigg would agree to a pre-contract with some of the biggest clubs in the world sniffing around.
While there is reportedly a verbal deal agreed between the parties, it means nothing until a contract is signed and Rigg is free to leave the club if he does not sign professionally with the Black Cats, although Sunderland would be compensated via a tribunal if a move came about.
While it may be the best thing for the youngster to remain at the club, the allure of a big-money move may be too much to turn down, which Sunderland fans will not be thrilled about.
