Sunderland AFC and Chris Rigg's transfer situation: What is happening? | OneFootball

FLW round up everything you need to know about Sunderland midfielder Chris Rigg's situation at the SoL.

Sunderland midfield star Chris Rigg is attracting widespread interest ahead of the January transfer window, having become a first-team regular in the 2024/25 season under Regis Le Bris.

He has played for the Black Cats since primary school, with Rigg born in Hebburn, which is a town in the South Tyneside borough of Tyne and Wear.

Having been handed chances over the last few years, Rigg has been a revelation for Sunderland in the early stages of the 2024/25 season, highlighting his maturity well beyond his years.

Operating primarily as a central or attacking midfielder, the 17-year-old has become a key figure in Le Bris' young side, showcasing remarkable consistency for his tender age.

He first made a breakthrough into senior football when making his debut well over 12 months ago under Tony Mowbray in an FA Cup third round clash against Shrewsbury Town.

He scored three goals last season, with one coming in an EFL Cup tie against Crewe, another earlier in the season in a 5-0 thumping of Southampton, and the last during a 5-1 loss to Blackburn Rovers.

Featuring as often as he has at his age was always likely to catch the eye, and Premier League and Bundesliga clubs have been linked, with many keen to get involved in the midfielder due to his potential as a player long-term.

Sunderland have set the early pace in the race for automatic promotion to the Premier League this year, and Rigg has key goals against Middlesbrough, Leeds United and Luton Town to his name already this season.

The 17-year-old is already proving he can be of use in both boxes, with Le Bris giving him the license to express himself like never before.

The latest transfer links and rumours regarding Sunderland's Chris Rigg

Rigg made 21 league appearances across the course of the 2023/24 Championship campaign and was reportedly being eyed by Newcastle United, Borussia Dortmund, Chelsea, Bayern Munich, Manchester City and Manchester United before penning his first professional contract in the recent summer.

More recent reports have come via Football Insider, who have claimed that Wolves are interested in making a move for Rigg soon, but he is expected to quit Sunderland for a bigger club than the Black Country outfit.

The same outlet have reported that Crystal Palace are watching the 17-year-old with interest as they eye up a potential move.

It's reported that they are confident that their track record of signing players from the Championship will help land his signature, and are said to be planning a £20million bid for the Sunderland man come January. Meanwhile, another update has claimed Liverpool will also look to sign the teenager at the turn of the year.

Most of the top-flight are keeping tabs on his process, though.

Transfer journalist Alan Nixon claimed that Nuno Espírito Santo's side are looking to complete an ambitious double deal for both Rigg and his 18-year-old teammate Tommy Watson in the winter market. However, without a doubt, the club with the greatest interest seems to be Manchester United.

It has been reported that the English football giants believe he is the type of young player that INEOS want to build their team around. Piror to that link emerging earlier in the season, the likes of Man City, Liverpool, and Chelsea all interested in the midfielder and linked with a move in the near future. Man United appeared to be at the front of the queue at that time, according to talkSPORT.

Outside of English football, reports from HITC earlier this year claimed that German outfit Borussia Dortmund are keeping tabs on the 17-year-old, while Champions League winners Real Madrid are also said to be interested.

Premier League trio Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United reportedly sent scouts to run the rule over Sunderland's starlet Rigg against Millwall, with TBR Football stating that they and others all had transfer spies in attendance at The Den.

Brentford and Crystal Palace also had scouts there to watch the player, according to the same report. While Give Me Sport are reporting that Rigg would be interested in a potential move to Newcastle United or Man United, with the young midfield star said to be "open" to those moves.

It's been reported that it's only a matter of time before he makes a move away from Wearside, but he is more likely to consider a move at the end of the season. However, the Black Cats hope they can keep Rigg beyond the end of the January transfer window, according to a report from TEAMtalk.

Though, they state that things could change quickly in the summer, if Sunderland are not promoted to the Premier League this season. That's because they, unsurprisingly, apparently reluctant to lose one of their key players, at a time when they could be close to ending their exile from the top-flight of English football.

According to a recent report published by TBR Football, Sunderland are set to refuse to entertain any potential mid-season advances made following the turn of the year while the player in question is also content at the Stadium of Light for the time being.

Even so, there is a suggestion that they would then struggle to keep Rigg in the summer, if they do not win promotion come the end of the current campaign.

Chris Rigg's contract situation with Sunderland

Keeping Rigg was one of the Black Cats' biggest tests over the summer, but they managed to do so by tying him down to the first professional contract of his career just weeks after he had turned 17 in June.

Rigg was already one year into a two-year scholarship deal, but signed a three-year contract at the Stadium of Light to ease minds for the time being.

While it would be a surprise to see him fulfill the deal until 2027, it was a huge move for the club that made sure that they will receive a sizeable fee if he does move on soon.

His commitment to a long-term deal has allowed Sunderland a lot more control of the situation and stability both on and off the pitch, and they will now surely hold the upper hand in any future transfer negotiations, as a result.

As things stand, there are just over two-and-a-half years remaining on the teenager's contract with Sunderland, securing his future until the end of the 2026/27 season. No matter what happens to the club this season, it ensures they will now receive a sizeable fee if he does move on soon, be that to one of the Premier League's giants, Newcastle, or elsewhere.

It's easy to see why he is one of the most coveted young players in English football, and why the interest is so vast in his services, though. Rigg's technical attributes, awareness, tenacity, composure, and confidence in possession all belie his youthful years.

What stands out most is his technical skill combined with a natural composure, which has earned him respect from both teammates and fans. As Sunderland look to push up the Championship table, Rigg’s progression could be a game-changer in their campaign, and Premier League football beckons next season for him one way or another.

Despite his youth, he’s shown poise in high-stakes situations, proving instrumental in several tight matches against other promotion hopefuls already in 2024/25, and kicking on to new heights in his development in the process. For now, Sunderland fans will be delighted to have one of the brightest talents they have ever produced.