Toon scouts watching record-breaking midfielder alongside Man Utd after summer interest
According to Mark Douglas at iNews, Newcastle United and Manchester United have both been showing 'intense interest' in Sunderland sensation Chris Rigg.
Both clubs attempted to sign the 16-year-old over the summer before he penned a two-year scholarship deal on Wearside, but it's believed Toon scouts have continued to watch him closely.
The 16-year-old became the Black Cats' youngest ever league scorer over the weekend, finding the net in a 5-0 win over Southampton at the Stadium of Light.
He's an England U17 international and has been tipped to have a huge future in the game, taking time out of school and GCSE studies to train with Sunderland's first-team. He's only appeared twice at senior level this season, yet he's scored on both occasions, finding the net against Southampton on Saturday and in last month's Carabao Cup defeat to Crewe.
The Hebburn-born talent is from a family of Newcastle fans and would be a brilliant addition on Tyneside. There'd be plenty of competition, as many believe it's a matter of time until he lands a Premier League move.
Speaking to iNews, an unnamed North East scout had this to say when asked who Rigg reminds him of:
“You don’t want to put pressure on such a young lad but in terms of his impact, his dynamism and his attitude it has to be Jordan Henderson.
“Jordan’s a Premier League winner, how many [England] caps and has been the Liverpool captain so it’s a high standard to live up to – which is why I hesitate to say that name – but this boy has the potential to match that, without a doubt. His potential is absolutely huge.”
