Sunderland sporting director Kristjaan Speakman was a busy man during the January transfer window as he brought in a number of players to bolster the squad.
The likes of Isaac Lihadji, Joe Gelhardt, Pierre Ekwah and Joe Anderson came through the door at the Stadium of Light to add more young prospects to Tony Mowbray‘s talented group of gems.
Speakman has packed the Black Cats’ squad with players who have the scope to improve and develop in the years to come, and this strategy could help the club to profit in the future if those youngsters are able to fulfill their potential.
However, there is one player who was already at the club who could be a future star of the Sunderland first-team and alleviate the need to further dip into the transfer market in the summer – Chris Rigg.
Will Corry Evans sign a new contract at Sunderland?
Corry Evans is out of contract at the end of the season and it has been reported that the club are set to offer the experienced midfielder an extension on his current terms.
However, it remains to be seen whether or not the 32-year-old will put pen to paper on a new deal. The veteran has been ruled out of the remainder of the campaign with a knee injury and could use his time away from the pitch to decide what he wants to do heading into the 2023/24 campaign.
Does Corry Evans deserve a new deal?
This is where Rigg comes into play, as the talented teenager could be the long-term heir to Evans’ position in the team, whether the former Blackburn warrior moves on this summer or in one of the next few transfer windows.
At the age of 15, there is no rush for the academy midfielder to become a regular in the first-team, and Evans signing a contract extension could provide the teenager with the time that he needs to continue his development before breaking into the starting XI.
Despite not turning 16 until June, Rigg has already played three senior matches for the Black Cats – all in the FA Cup – and Mowbray has stated that the prodigy has the scope to become a top player.
The Sunderland boss said: “He’s not a big, strong, physical, guy – he’s quite slight – but he has a wonderful left foot and he is an incredibly competitive animal. I’ve seen him for 20-30 minutes in an U21 game against Southampton, and his potential looks enormous to me.”
Rigg, who has also played six times for the club’s U21 team, is a promising young prospect who is showing signs that he could be a future star for the club, and therefore the long-term heir to Evans’ starting berth in the middle of the park.
