Sunderland sources reveal January update as West Ham United eye Chris Rigg deal
Sunderland will not entertain any January exit offers for Chris Rigg as West Ham join the transfer race, sources have told TBR Football.
The online source reported [22 November] that the Hammers are just one of the teams eyeing a deal for the 17-year-old midfielder, alongside the likes of Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal.
It is understood that the Black Cats have no intention of taking part in talks over Rigg’s future at the Stadium of Light while they are fighting for promotion to the Premier League this season.
Newcastle United, Borussia Dortmund, RB Leipzig and Marseille are all keeping tabs on the player’s situation too.
West Ham United in with a chance of signing Chris Rigg?
It is really no surprise to see so much interest emerging for Rigg, who has become a star at the Stadium of Light during the last couple of seasons.
The young midfielder already has 40 senior appearances to his name, boasting six goals while starting 13 of the Black Cats’ Championship games so far.
Sunderland’s stance on a January exit could actually benefit the Hammers in the long run despite the plethora of interested teams, with Rigg preferring to join another team with European football [GiveMeSport].
With Julen Lopetegui’s side currently not battling in any European competitions, but expected to push away from the relegation zone and up the Premier League table, there is time for the Hammers to fix the current situation.
Midfield looks to be a slight issue under the new manager, with Guido Rodriguez doing little to impress and Edson Alvarez making an embarrassment of himself. Rigg could certainly fix that.
Of course, if Sunderland manage to claim promotion from the Championship, that could sway his decision to stay with his boyhood club, even if a bigger club comes calling next summer.
In other West Ham news, sources have named which manager David Sullivan has been advised to hire after Julen Lopetegui.
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