Everton have explored a deal for Sunderland starlet Chris Rigg and are prepared to play the waiting game for one of England’s most sought-after wonderkids, TEAMtalk understands.
David Moyes is on the hunt for young and hungry attacking players, with deals for Southampton winger Tyler Dibling and West Brom wideman Tom Fellows ongoing.
Everton have a long-standing interest in Fellows, who saw a January deadline move to Merseyside fall through.
That deal has since not got off the ground this summer, with Southampton’s Dibling now emerging as their main target ahead of Fellows.
The structure of Dibling’s fee, with Southampton wanting £50million and a sell-on clause included in any deal, means that there has been slow progress.
It’s understood that Fellows is now on Southampton’s radar if a deal with the highly-rated Dibling can be struck with Everton, with the structure of payment holding any move up, for now.
Everton have so far seen three bids rejected for Dibling, with the latest offer amounting to a package of around £40million, and talks are ongoing over a deal for the left-footed star who burst onto the scene and was a shining light in Southampton’s gloomy season.
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Everton are big admirers of Sunderland ace; big gap in valuations
Rigg, 18, is a player admired by Everton but Moyes is now prepared to bide his time and see how the teenage midfielder adapts in the Premier League despite receiving positive reports from scouting team to run the rule over him last season.
They run the risk then of rival clubs swooping but Everton are not willing to contemplate meeting Rigg’s £40million asking price this summer.
Everton put Rigg in the £15million bracket and that means both clubs are miles apart in terms of their valuation for a player who still has two years left on his contract with Sunderland.
It’s been a frustrating summer in the transfer market for Everton ahead of their new era at Bramley-Moore Dock, but they are determined to finish the window strongly.
Everton missed out on the likes of Francisco Conceicao, Johan Bakayoko and Malick Fofana and have now been looking closer to home with in-demand Manchester City playmaker Jack Grealish a loan target.
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall did arrive this week from Chelsea but Moyes’ push for pace and youth on the flanks has so far stalled.
With additional reporting from TEAMtalk’s Everton correspondent Harry Watkinson.
Five Chris Rigg facts you may not know
➡️ Rigg became Sunderland’s youngest ever goalscorer in senior competition back in August of 2023. Aged just 16 years and 51 days, Rigg netted in an EFL Cup clash with Crewe Alexandra.
➡️ The midfielder also went on to become Sunderland’s youngest ever league scorer less than one month later when bagging in a 5-0 victory over Southampton.
➡️ Born in Hebburn, South Tyneside, Rigg has represented England at every level from Under-15s through to Under-19s, captaining the Under-16s and earning promotion to the Under-18s while still only 16! His Under-21s breakthrough is expected to follow in due course…
➡️ With 72 appearances with Sunderland under his belt and seven goals, awards have been coming thick and fast for Rigg. Indeed, his Rigg’s back-heeled goal against Middlesbrough in September earned him the EFL Championship Goal of the Month award.
➡️ And in April, Rigg was crowned the EFL Championship Apprentice of the Season.
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