David Moyes is keen to recruit from the Championship this summer transfer window.
The Everton boss believes the second tier is home to a plethora of future Premier League stars and has advised club chiefs to scout the division.
“Last year, the Championship produced some incredible players like (Morgan) Rogers, (Adam) Wharton, (Jaden) Philogene possibly. The Championship is always a place we should be looking to see,” David Moyes said earlier this year.
As such, the Toffees are eyeing Burnley defender Maxime Esteve, who has enjoyed a sensational season under Scott Parker.
Moyes is also keen to sign Sunderland’s Chris Rigg and he sent Charlie Adam to watch the 17-year-old wonderkid this month.
Rigg’s links to Goodison Park continue to heat up, so we decided to speak to Sunderland AFC News journalist Ethan Todd to get the lowdown on the teenager’s situation and how likely a transfer is.
Photo by MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Photo by MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images
How good is Sunderland’s Chris Rigg?
Everton have already been informed that it’d take a bid of around £40m to get Chris Rigg out of his Sunderland contract, which seems incredibly steep.
But Sunderland expert Ethan Todd firmly believes he’s worth the hype and even compared him to Manchester City legend David Silva.
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“Chris Rigg has dominated the Sunderland headlines so many times and for every Sunderland supporter like myself who watches him week in week out it is clear to see why,” Todd exclusively told Everton News.
“His ability on the ball and technical gifts for only a 17-year-old is scarily good. He brings others into the game with one or two touch plays, goes past defenders as if they are not there and his positional sense is exceptional on the right-hand side of Sunderland’s midfield three. Reminds me of David Silva for City the way he operates and has an eye for goal also.
“Naturally very tenacious and aggressive, and a great presser as he’s been entrusted by Regis Le Bris to move into the forward line as a second striker when Sunderland do not have the ball, and will only improve physically as he ages.
“Has a really incisive pass in-behind but also can switch the play with ease. He’s not the type of player to dictate the flow and tempo of the game, that is more Dan Neil’s job, but Rigg is exceptional in the decisive moments and has scored some crucial goals for Sunderland since he broke out into the first-team.”
Is Rigg ready for the Premier League?
“I think so but it has to be for the right team,” Todd said. “Rigg is so gifted technically and in-possession that he’d have to play for a team who want to keep the ball on the ground and play on the front foot.
“If he moves to the top flight this summer, the main question mark would be whether he’d be initially out-battled as he has a very slight frame, but then he makes up for that with his ability to manipulate space and his tenacity in his midfield duels. He reads the game and tempo so well that I think he’d be very accustomed to making the step up in terms of technical ability.”
"I would never EVER have thought I'd be in the position I am at this age" 🌟
How good has 17-year-old Chris Rigg been for Sunderland this season? ⬇ pic.twitter.com/logncdeJUh
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) January 17, 2025
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How likely is a transfer to Everton?
Unfortunately for Moyes, Todd reckons it’ll be a tough task to land Rigg’s signature this summer, with the likes of Manchester United and Bayern Munich circling.
“I don’t think a transfer to Everton is likely at all,” Todd admitted.
“Everton have reportedly submitted a £10million bid for Rigg, but Sunderland would ideally want at least 3 or 4 times that figure to let Rigg depart because he has the potential really to become a world-class talent given he is impacting Championship games at the top of the table so often aged only 17.
“Some of his moments such as the Boro backheel goal have been breathtaking and Sunderland fans believe they’ll look back on Rigg in years to come and wonder how he was in their team because he can easily go on to become a fully fledged top flight and England regular.
“It sounds arrogant, but I and many Sunderland fans would probably agree that Rigg should sign for a team above Everton’s calibre, and one recognised for more of a technical style of play.
“Taking Archie Gray’s Spurs move into consideration, Rigg should be destined for one of the traditional top six Premier League sides, or one of the Bundesliga big-hitters – he is that good already and will only get better as he matures.
“Rigg is under contract at Sunderland until the summer of 2027 so the club are in a strong position but if they fail to earn promotion back to the Premier League for next season then they will be inundated with offers for Rigg this summer from some of Europe’s elite clubs and will find it very hard to deter their interest with Rigg high on the list of top prospects from the likes of Manchester United, Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich.”