Liverpool and Everton are set to battle it out for the signing of Sunderland youngster Chris Rigg.
Despite being just 15 years old, Rigg has already featured for Sunderland’s U21 side. Rigg recently travelled with the first team to Birmingham City to get a taste of what it’s like to be part of the senior squad, showing how highly regarded he is at Sunderland.
Now, according to the Daily Star (via the Daily Express), both Everton and Liverpool are showing an interest in signing the Sunderland youngster. The report also claims that Sunderland’s North-East rivals Newcastle are keeping an eye on Rigg, with his family all fans of The Magpies.
Sunderland are growing increasingly concerned that Rigg will reject a professional contract at the club, and it’s no surprise considering he’s attracting interest from the Premier League despite never playing a senior game.
Signing young talent for the future can often be just as important as signing ready-made players, as the money you can save by investing in talent early on is phenomenal. It’s a medium-risk, high-reward strategy, as there’s no guarantee a player will come good, but the outlay is rarely significant.