Who is Chris Rigg? Liverpool and Man United chase Sunderland wonderkid

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Bellingham praise 

©TM/IMAGO

Premier League clubs have unearthed an abundance of talent from the English Championship over the years and Chris Riggg could be the latest starlet off the conveyor belt. Gareth Bale, John Stones, James Maddison and Morgan Gibbs-White have all made their name in the second-tier of English football before earning major transfers and Rigg could emulate those famous names this summer. 

Since becoming Sunderland’s second youngest player in their history when he debuted against Shrewsbury in 2023 aged just 16, Rigg has been on the radar of leading Premier League clubs. The prodigious talented midfielder has already amassed 65 professional appearances in his fledgling career and he’s been a regular for England throughout youth levels. Liverpool and Everton have been strongly linked with moves for the Rigg this week with the Sunderland starlet destined for greatness. 

Who is Chris Rigg?

Rigg is widely viewed as the greatest talent to emerge through Sunderland’s academy this century. Born in Hebburn, South Tyneside, Rigg joined Sunderland while in primary school and he made waves during his progression through their academy. The midfielder has acclimatised brilliantly to the demands of first-team football and became their youngest ever league goalscorer when he netted against Southampton in September 2023. The 17-year-old possesses all the desirable attributes in a modern midfielder as he’s incredibly comfortable in possession and can use his body to escape pressure.

Rigg and Jobe Bellingham have formed an incredible understanding in Sunderland’s midfield and they represent the club’s two prized assets. Last month, the duo shared the North East football writers’ young player of the year award and Bellingham lavished praise on his teammate. He said: “I think first and foremost Riggy really deserves it and I’m delighted that we can share it because I think it’s really special. Both of our names will be attached to that forever because I love playing with him. We’ve got a really special bond on and off the pitch, we’re really good mates.I think for the club it shows how they’ve improved and are amazing at nurturing young players. It’s part of the make-up of the club now and the fans are completely behind it.”

The rise of Chris Rigg

Rigg’s market value has soared astronomically across the last year from just €300k to his current valuation of €16m. The Sunderland starlet gained his first market value of €300k in October 2023 after making his professional debut and it remained the same until September 2024 when it rose to €9m. As the graphic below illustrates, Rigg’s valuation jumped to €12m in Transfermarkt’s update in December and he gained another €4m upgrade in March – Rigg is currently the 8th most valuable player in the English Championship.

Who is interested in signing Chris Rigg? 

The Independent reported this week that Liverpool and Everton will battle for Rigg’s signature this summer. But the Merseyside duo aren’t the only two Premier League clubs with an interest in the young Englishman. Manchester United have scouted Rigg extensively in the past, while Chelsea hold a long-standing interest. Crystal Palace have also monitored his development and they plucked Adam Wharton from the Championship recently to great success. Rigg, however, could remain at Sunderland next season, if his boyhood club get promoted to the top-flight through the play-offs but a failure to achieve that would likely see him depart this summer.