West Ham are interested in signing Sunderland midfielder Chris Rigg, according to the Guardian.
The teenager has been a mainstay in Sunderland’s midfield this season, playing 36 games for the Black Cats, who are currently sat fourth in the Championship.
Rigg made his Sunderland debut at just 15-years-old, against Shrewsbury in the FA Cup two seasons ago, which made him the club’s second youngest ever player.
The young talent began to enjoy regular game time for the north-east side last season, where he played 31 games for the first team.
Rigg is a dynamic midfielder who has often played on the right of the midfield, and he has described himself as a “traditional midfielder” who loves to attack and defend.
The 17-year-old is Sunderland’s fourth top goal scorer this season with four goals, while he also has the fourth most successful dribbles per game amongst the squad, showing his confidence on the ball at such a young age.
Sunderland boss Regis Le Bris has praised the midfielder for his level of maturity, highlighting that “some players don’t have that [maturity] at 30”.
West Ham will have to go Rigg or go home
Hammers fans will be hopeful that Graham Potter can bring in some recruitment for the midfield this summer, with this area of the pitch being overrun far too often this season.
However, it will come as no surprise that West Ham aren’t the only club after the exciting midfielder, with Everton among numerous clubs monitoring the 17-year-old.
Rigg already has 61 first team appearances for Sunderland, which is a staggering number for a player born in 2007, highlighting his fearlessness and ability to play at the highest level.
Rigg has been described as a “warrior-like character” who “wants to win every tackle, every 5-a-side, every contest he’s in” by former boss Tony Mowbray.
This combination of hunger, confidence and maturity is something that West Ham are in desperate need of in the midfield, making Rigg a player that Potter should definitely look at bringing into the side, particularly in a squad which is the oldest in the league.
