Liverpool and Arsenal are currently first and second in the Premier League table and will be eager to keep up the good work beyond this season.
Liverpool have enjoyed a bright campaign in Arne Slot’s maiden season at Anfield, but they’ll be keen on bolstering their ranks after falling short in the cups.
Meanwhile, Arsenal will be disappointed by their efforts in the Premier League this season and will be desperate to make next season count in the title race.
Both Liverpool and Arsenal have been linked with midfielders, including an English player who has now been named among the world’s best young players.
Chris Rigg deemed the 29th best teenager in world football
The player in question is Sunderland’s Chris Rigg, who has made a name for himself as one of the best young players in the English game.
Liverpool have been credited with an interest in Rigg, who some within the game have tipped to become a bigger sensation than Adam Wharton.
TBR Football chief correspondent Graeme Bailey confirmed that Arsenal and Tottenham had scouts in attendance to watch Rigg in action against Millwall in November.
Arsenal and Manchester United then had scouts watching Rigg in Sunderland’s 3-2 win over local rivals Middlesbrough in February, according to TBR Football sources.
Goal.com have now named Rigg as the 29th best teenager in world football, as per their latest NxGn list, which ranks the 50 best youngsters in the game.
‘Sunderland are in the grips of a battle for promotion back to the Premier League,’ they began.
‘But even if the Black Cats come up short, homegrown midfielder Chris Rigg will almost certainly be leaving the Championship behind this summer as a queue of England’s biggest clubs continues to grow in the hope that they will be able to sign one of the second tier’s most impressive performers.
‘The 17-year-old made headlines in August 2023 when he became Sunderland’s youngest-ever goal-scorer, and after a season of sporadic appearances last term, Rigg is now a regular in Regis Le Bris’ line up at the Stadium of Light.
‘Manchester United have long been linked with the energetic youngster, while Arsenal, Liverpool and even Real Madrid are said to be closely monitoring his progress.’
How much Chris Rigg could cost
While many wonderkids tend to come with highly inflated price tags, Rigg may be available for less than £30million – a relatively low fee in this day and age.
It has been reported that, although Sunderland have previously resisted approaches for their prized asset, they’re now looking to do business starting at £25million.
It’s very rare for a player so young to have clocked up over 50 competitive appearances for his club, which suggests Rigg has an incredible future ahead of him.
With that in mind, Rigg certainly seems like a player worth targeting, but there will no doubt be a lot of interest in him over the summer.
