His winning goal in the 1-0 Wear-Tees derby success over Middlesbrough on Saturday went viral as he skipped beyond Boro goalkeeper Seny Dieng before backheeling the ball into the net to send the Stadium of Light into raptures.
Rigg made his first team debut as a 15-year-old and Sunderland have found it difficult to conceal the incredible talent they have on their hands. Some of European football’s biggest clubs are reportedly keeping tabs on his progress and the Black Cats have already faced a battle to tie his future to the club.
The likes of Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund are said to be monitoring his progress and Sunderland also had to stave off fierce interest from their local rivals, Newcastle, the club Rigg’s family are supporters of. Rigg signed a three-year deal in the summer, his first professional contract, which was seen as a huge coup for the Black Cats, but the likelihood of him seeing out that contract looks slim if he continues on his current trajectory.
Reports on Sunday have again linked Manchester United with a move for the talented teenager and it is a move that would have the pawprints of United sporting director Dan Ashworth all over it. Ashworth built a reputation of signing high potential young players at Brighton who would go on to become household names in the Premier League and he was sporting director at Newcastle, of course, during their pursuit of Rigg last season.
Newcastle’s interest in the midfielder remains and so it presents a chance for Ashworth to get one over his old employers, who placed him on gardening leave for five months before he made the move to Old Trafford, by signing the Sunderland youngster. United, of course, infamously missed out on signing Bellingham after his incredible breakthrough season in the Championship with Birmingham City, as he opted to join Borussia Dortmund.
Reports suggest they are determined to not allow that to happen again and they are determined to sign a player who their scouts feel could become the club’s ‘next Roy Keane’. With Sunderland flying high in the Championship table, Rigg’s progress is certainly something United fans will now follow with keen interest.
