Chris Rigg's exact Sunderland contract situation explained amid pro deal decision & transfer interest

Sunderland youngster Chris Rigg has been impressing in the first team ahead of his big decision over the next stage of his career this summer.

So what's his current situation and what do we know about what happens next? Here’s the key questions broken down and what we know so far...

What's Chris Rigg's current contract situation and where does that leave Sunderland?

Rigg is approaching the end of the first year of his two-year scholarship, which he agreed last summer amid interest from a number of the country's top clubs. Had Rigg opted to leave for a top-tier club at that stage, then Sunderland would have received a relatively modest compensation fee under the terms of the Premier League's Elite Player Performance Plan.

Sunderland remain vulnerable at this stage because players cannot sign their first professional contract until they turn 17. In Rigg's case, that is in late June of this year. As such, Rigg would be free to leave for another club this summer should he choose.

However, clubs are perfectly entitled to agree a deal in principle. For example, take Rigg's team mate Matty Young. Young also signed a scholarship deal last summer, but the broad strokes of his first pro deal were also discussed and laid out in that period. The goalkeeper then signed a three-year deal on the day of his 17th birthday.

Sunderland and Rigg are thought to have agreed the outline of a pro deal in principle last summer, which gives an indication of their intentions. Nevertheless, the reality is that nothing is certain until pen is put to paper.

Does the fact that he agreed that scholarship deal last summer hold any significance to Sunderland moving forward?

It does, as it offers them far better protection should Rigg opt to move to a new club this summer. Now that he is a scholar, any club that wants to sign Rigg now has to make a transfer offer to Sunderland. If the two clubs cannot agree on a fee but the player wants the move, then at that stage it will go to a tribunal.

Sunderland are currently going through a similar process with Mason Cotcher, who left the club at the end of his first year as a scholar last summer. Cotcher had been prolific in the U18s team (alongside Young and Rigg) that had gone close to beating Manchester City to the title, but departed after being disappointed with Sunderland's offer of a professional contract. He has had trials with a number of clubs since, including at Leeds United. Leeds have reportedly made a transfer offer to the Black Cats as they now bid to step up that interest. Generally, clubs will look to agree a fee in order to avoid the uncertainty and time-consuming nature of a tribunal. Getting a deal done early also appeals to many of the top clubs, as it can help them beat any competition from other clubs.

A tribunal will take a number of factors into account before deciding on a fee such as appearances already made, time at the club, the respective contracts offered by both clubs and any youth international pedigree. One of the most high-profile judgements previously made was for Liverpool midfielder Harvey Elliott, with the panel ruling that Fulham were owed an initial £1.5 million, with £2.8 million due in future bonuses dependent on performance. So a tribunal (should it ever come to that) would likely secure Sunderland a far better return than had he left from a Premier League last summer, when the fee would have been set under the heavily-criticised formula of the aforementioned EPPP. However, there's no doubt that agreeing a pro deal is the only way Sunderland can realistically realise Rigg's full value down the line - and retain control over the situation.

Is there significant interest from elsewhere in signing him?

In short, yes. Rigg has developed a huge reputation in the game and should he opt to head elsewhere then there would be a queue of suitors. Most of the clubs at the top end of the Premier League would be keen, while there has also been some interest from either further afield in Europe.

How likely is he to sign that first professional deal this summer, then?

Rigg opted to stay last summer primarily because he felt it was a better move to be competing for first-team football as soon as possible, rather than playing U21s football at a currently elite-level club and risk having his pathway blocked by already established players. There's no reason to think that his view will be any different this summer, and that will work in Sunderland's favour given their now proven track record of handing regular playing time to youngsters. Jobe Bellingham's example is an obvious one, having played a similar amount to Rigg in his first-year as a scholar at Birmingham City before stepping up significantly this season.

Rigg is also known to be very settled at the club and is hugely appreciative of the support he has been given by fans since breaking through in the FA Cup last season.

After a promising start to the campaign under Tony Mowbray, Rigg's playing time did drop off after he returned from the youth World Cup and after Sunderland went through a troubled spell under new head coach Michael Beale. Rigg featured little under Beale and there were definitely some concerns about his playing time and the future at that stage, but Mike Dodds has given him some invaluable experience against high-calibre opposition over the last month and has demonstrated the club's faith in his ability. When available, Rigg has trained exclusively with the first-team this season and that has had an obviously beneficial impact on his progress.

While there is some uncertainty around the club given the head coach situation, much of the current coaching team will stay in place over the summer and at this stage Rigg is going to be returning for pre-season with every possibility of becoming a first-team regular.

That should raise hope of him staying put on Wearside and at this stage that appears to be all parties' preference - though the reality is that nothing is certain until June at the earliest. Sunderland fans can take some confidence and hope from the fact that Rigg is undeniably relishing life at the club and the challenge of establishing himself at Championship level.