Liverpool are reportedly among several clubs showing an interest in an English wonderkid who’s already making waves at senior level.
According to the Sunderland Echo, the Reds are keen on Sunderland gem Chris Rigg, who also has admirers from Bayern Munich, Manchester City, Chelsea and Manchester United.
The 16-year-old holds the records for being the youngest-ever goalscorer not just in the Black Cats’ history, but also in the League Cup, claiming both distinctions after he netted in that competition against Crewe Alexandra at the start of this season.
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Despite only being born a month after Liverpool’s 2007 Champions League final defeat in Athens, Rigg has already played 11 times for Sunderland’s first team and scored twice (Transfermarkt).
Former Black Cats manager Tony Mowbray (now at Birmingham) has described the wonderkid as ‘a joy to watch’ (Sunderland Echo) and a ‘warrior-like character’ who ‘wants to win every tackle’ (BBC Radio Newcastle).
That combination of steel and silk could serve the teenager very well as he embarks on his senior career, and if he were to join the Reds this year, it’d have echoes of the July 2019 acquisition of Harvey Elliott, who came to Anfield from then-Championship side Fulham as a 16-year-old.
Liverpool’s choice of successor to Jurgen Klopp may have a big bearing on whether or not we win the race for his signature.
If our next manager is every bit as trusting in youth as the incumbent has been (Trent Alexander-Arnold, Curtis Jones, Elliott, Jarell Quansah and Conor Bradley all serve as prime examples), the Sunderland prodigy might well force his way through at Anfield.
We can expect to hear plenty more of Rigg’s name throughout 2024, and he could be a fledgling talent worth watching out for over the coming months.
#Ep100 of The Empire of the Kop Podcast: EOTK Insider with Neil Jones🎙️