Sunderland: £30-40m Chris Rigg price tag claim made amid Jude Bellingham comparison | OneFootball

FLW's Sunderland fan pundit has given his view on how much the club should demand for midfielder Chris Rigg.

This article is part of Football League World’s 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

Sunderland could face a battle to hold on to star midfielder Chris Rigg in the January transfer window.

Rigg made his debut for Sunderland at the age of 15 in January 2023, and after being involved with the first-team squad for the last two seasons, he has established himself as a regular this campaign.

The 17-year-old has started eight of the first nine league games this season, and his performances have played a huge part in helping the Black Cats to the top of the Championship table.

However, Rigg's impressive form could see him attract attention from elsewhere, and according to talkSPORT, Premier League giants Manchester United could make a move for the midfielder in January as they look to fend off interest from other clubs, including Sunderland's North East rivals Newcastle United.

Journalist Alan Nixon claims that ambitious League One side Birmingham City could offer close to £10 million for Rigg, while Everton are another club said to be keen on the England Under-18 international.

Sunderland fan pundit on Chris Rigg future

When asked what price the club should demand for Rigg, FLW's Sunderland fan pundit Jack Austwicke said that the midfielder is worth around £30-40 million, but he questioned whether that figure is realistic for a player with limited senior experience.

"I haven't really had the chance to wax lyrical about Chris Rigg on here yet, and I genuinely cannot put into words how good this kid is," Jack said.

"I've said this about a lot of players at Sunderland over the years, but this boy is going to the very top, I think he'll go higher than the likes of Jobe Bellingham and Jack Clarke.

"I think he is the one with the highest ceiling, and I can see a similar trajectory to that of Jude Bellingham if I'm being totally honest.

"You could say it's too early for us to cash in, but what fee do you put on a 17-year-old who has not played much football really at all?

"Can we put a £30-40 million fee on him straight away?

"That is what he's realistically worth to Sunderland because that's the fee we'd get for him if we waited a year or two.

"If you can put that on him straight away, then put it on him, but it's a tricky one because he's so inexperienced.

"How much can you actually put on a player like that?"

Sunderland should take firm Chris Rigg stance in January

After his excellent start to the season, it seems inevitable that Rigg will attract interest in January, but Sunderland should not consider selling him during the winter window.

Losing Rigg could be incredibly damaging to the Black Cats' promotion hopes, and if he maintains his current form, his list of suitors will surely grow ahead of the summer, which in turn would increase his valuation.

Rigg signed a new contract to keep him at the Stadium of Light until 2027 this summer, so Sunderland are firmly in control of the situation, and they should resist any temptation to cash in on the midfielder just yet.