How Sunderland’s £35m teenager compares to Europe’s top midfield prospects – by the numbers
Chris Rigg has just turned 18 and is already a first-team regular at Sunderland. After logging well over 3,000 senior minutes in 2024-25 and playing physically demanding Championship under Régis Le Bris, he will now test himself against Premier League midfields. How ready is he? The answer lies in the numbers.
Using Wyscout data we benchmarked Rigg against five of the most-talked-about central midfielders in Europe: 20-year-old Kobbie Mainoo (Manchester United), 19-year-old Warren Zaire-Emery (PSG), Archie Gray, also 19 (Tottenham), Lewis Miley, 19, (Newcastle United), and 18-year-old Lennon Miller (Motherwell).
Rigg played 3,502 minutes – the highest of any player in this cohort. Gray followed with 3,497, then Zaire-Emery (3,424), Miller (3,406), Mainoo (2,515), and Miley (562). Rigg made 47 Championship appearances and was rarely rotated, a sign of how much Régis Le Bris trusted him during the club’s historic and dramatic promotion-winning campaign.
Each of these players comes with their own context: Mainoo played semi-regularly for a struggling Manchester United, Gray filled multiple positions for Tottenham during an injury crisis, Miley impressed under Eddie Howe in bursts but also spent time injured and played a lot less minutes than you would expect, and Miller was key to Motherwell’s midfield in Scotland. Zaire-Emery won the treble and played 13 times in the Champions League, including a substitute appearance in the final as PSG defeated Inter Milan
Defensive intelligence in and out of possession
In terms of defensive contribution, Rigg recorded 2.64 possession-adjusted interceptions per 90 – a mid-pack return, behind Zaire-Emery (5.30), Gray (5.05), Mainoo (3.87), and Miller (6.15), but ahead of Miley (3.12). Given Sunderland averaged just 49% possession compared to PSG’s 68% or United’s 53% (league games from FotMob), that’s a respectable figure and shows how frequently Rigg was called into defensive actions.
Progressive passes and carries: breaking the lines
In progressive actions, Rigg stacked up well. He registered 4.94 progressive passes per 90, third behind Zaire-Emery (7.49) and Mainoo (5.31). His 2.88 progressive carries per 90 was also competitive, only slightly behind Mainoo and Zaire-Emery and ahead of Miley and Gray. That balance of passing and carrying is vital for modern midfielders, and Rigg is already delivering.
Attacking threat: xA, box entries and final third quality
In forward passing accuracy, Rigg ranked lowest at 61.17%, but this is a misleading number without context. Sunderland’s build-up play was more chaotic than the possession-dominant systems of PSG and Spurs, and Rigg was often tasked with ambitious, line-breaking passes. Zaire-Emery topped this metric with 85.55%, followed by Gray (77.88%), Mainoo (75.56%), Miley (68.04%), and Miller (62.15%). That it is an area of Rigg’s game he may need to improve in for the high-risk Premier League, but it is something that can come with age.
Despite the forward-pass figure, Rigg’s key passes (0.23 per 90) and expected assists (0.07) match or exceed Zaire-Emery (0.26 key passes, 0.03 xA) and Miley (0.18, 0.05). Mainoo posted the best xA at 0.08, but Rigg’s ability to create in transition and spot runs into the box, particularly in a reactive Sunderland side, remains one of his top traits.
Deep completions and box entries are another highlight. Rigg logged 0.85 deep completions and 2.65 passes into the penalty area per 90, only narrowly behind Miller (0.92 and 2.70). This shows his willingness to get into dangerous areas and his growing confidence in the final third.
Goals, xG and end product
When it comes to actual goal output, Rigg scored 4 goals from an xG of 5.73 – outperforming Zaire-Emery (3 goals, 2.53 xG), Miller (3 goals, 5.11 xG), Mainoo (2 goals, 1.94 xG), and Miley (1 goal, 0.37 xG). Archie Gray did not register a goal or assist and had the lowest xG of the group (0.04) given his positional changes throughout the season. Rigg also added 1 assist, level with Mainoo and ahead of Gray and Miley. Miller stands out with 8 assists, though he had more offensive freedom at Motherwell.
Ball security and composure beyond his years
Defensively, Rigg contested 4.46 duels per 90 and won 53.42% – a solid return that beats Zaire-Emery (50.88%), Mainoo (52.01%), and Miley (48.90%). Only Gray (55.80%) and Miller (50.25%) were stronger in duel percentage, and Gray’s minutes were skewed by his time as a full-back.
On ball security, Rigg’s loss index of 5.08 – measuring errors and turnovers – was the second-best in the group behind only Gray (4.20), again showing his composure under pressure. Zaire-Emery (6.33), Mainoo (7.12), and Miller (6.54) were more error-prone, even in systems with more structure.
How does Chris Rigg stack up to his peers?
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So, how does Chris Rigg stack up? The numbers show a player who can hold his own in elite company despite being slightly younger. He’s not yet Zaire-Emery in the build-up phase, or as refined as Mainoo in short-passing tempo, but he combines press resistance, tactical bravery, and vertical threat in a way that few midfielders his age can match.
And now, he’ll get the chance to test those numbers in the Premier League – against quicker presses, sharper midfields, and smarter teams. But with a full season of senior football behind him and the backing of Sunderland’s new structure, there’s every reason to believe Rigg is not just keeping up with Europe’s best – he’s becoming one of them.
With Spurs paying £30million for Archie Gray – and valuations for Warren Zaire-Emery and Kobbie Mainoo reaching £50million – it’s little surprise Sunderland have reportedly placed a £35million price tag on Chris Rigg amid interest from the Premier League and beyond.
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