Sunderland: Who Is Chris Rigg?

Sunderland look set to confirm the signing of Jobe Bellingham from Birmingham Metropolis this summer time, with Kristjaan Speakman persevering with the Black Cats’ current philosophy of signing prime younger abilities.

Tony Mowbray achieved a playoff spot with the youngest squad within the division this season which suggests the long run is shiny on the Stadium of Mild and whereas the 59-year-old’s future on the membership is presently unclear, he shall be hoping to proceed their upwards trajectory once more within the 2023/24 marketing campaign.

Regardless of the signing of Bellingham, who will naturally appeal to huge curiosity as a result of success of his older brother with Borussia Dortmund and England, Sunderland’s finest ‘wonderkid’ might already be on the membership.

Chris Rigg loved a breakthrough marketing campaign on the age of simply 15 and appears to have an enormous future with the membership, and he will be the man, or boy, that Mowbray ought to name upon subsequent season as he appears to be like to safe one other constructive end.

Who’s Chris Rigg?

{The teenager} is a product of the youth academy at Sunderland and has already established himself as a daily in Premier League 2, the place he may have been taking part in towards professionals greater than 5 years his senior.

He has additionally frequently skilled with the primary crew beneath Mowbray and was rewarded with a debut within the FA Cup this season, with VAR sadly ruling out what would have been a memorable first senior aim for the 15-year-old away at Fulham.

Rigg boasts two targets and 4 assists in simply 15 appearances for the U18s and has three first-team appearances beneath his belt, so he will certainly be seeking to push on once more subsequent season, supplied he can bulk up bodily throughout the summer time.

Mowbray was stuffed with reward for the teenager forward of his debut towards Shrewsbury City within the FA Cup and urged that he had been very impressed together with his performances in coaching.

He said: “He isn’t a giant, robust, bodily, man – he is fairly slight – however he has an exquisite left foot and he’s an extremely aggressive animal. I’ve seen him for 20-Half-hour in an U21 sport towards Southampton, and his potential appears to be like monumental to me.

“He appears to be like like a footballer who can play with the silkiness together with his left foot, and play pretty passes, however he additionally appears to be like like a tiger in that he desires to deal with everybody, and that is not a foul combine for a midfielder. For a boy of 15, I do not wish to overly construct him up apart from to say he seemed in coaching at this time like he warrants being round our squad.”

Whereas Bellingham appears to be like to be a prime prospect with 22 Championship appearances to his identify this season, his arrival will hopefully not restrict the alternatives of Rigg, as he may very well be a very particular participant at Sunderland.