Chris Rigg determined to set Sunderland standards and makes exciting Enzo Le Fee prediction
Chris Rigg is hoping to make an impact in the Premier League and Europa League for Sunderland this season.
The rise of Chris Rigg from exciting Academy of Light prospect to first-team star has been one of the most intriguing aspects of Sunderland’s recent successes.
The talk surrounding the midfielder’s potential and ability was widespread long before he made his competitive senior debut at the age of just 15 years and 203 days in an FA Cup win against Shrewsbury Town in January 2023. A first senior goal followed during the first month of the following season as Rigg found the net in a Carabao Cup tie against Crewe Alexandra just under a month before he marked his Championship debut in a 5-0 demolition of Southampton and became the Black Cats’ youngest ever league goalscorer.
Since then, the Hebburn-born star has gone on to score eight goals in 92 appearances in all competitions at first-team level and international recognition has followed after he appeared alongside the likes of Arsenal prospect Max Dowman and Liverpool’s highly-rated winger Rio Ngumoha within the England Under-19s set-up over the last year. Given his progress in recent seasons, an opportunity at Under-21s level and beyond is surely not out of the equation for the new season.
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Given Rigg’s achievements over the last three years and his consistent presence within the first-team ranks, it is sometimes easy to forget he is still a teenager and won’t actually turn 20 until next summer. By that time, the youngster will have a second season in the Premier League under his belt and will have also been part of a Sunderland side that will create club history by competing alongside the likes of Juventus, AC Milan and Bayer Leverkusen in the Europa League after they secured a seventh place finish in the top flight last season.
Far from shouting about his achievements, Rigg quietly went about his business during what was a memorable campaign for Sunderland and appears to have gained the trust of head coach Regis Le Bris and his senior team-mates. With so much change within the Black Cats squad over the last 12 months, Rigg could have felt threatened as the standards within Le Bris’ ranks increased with the arrival of the likes of Noah Sadiki and talismanic club captain Granit Xhaka.
Yet Rigg has admitted he feels at home within a history-making Black Cats squad and is now determined to continue raising those standards when his side go into battle on a number of fronts this season. He told the club website: “I think I feel more together with the group. I feel we set high standards every day, which is not new to me because it’s what I want but it’s really high now because we have Europa League and the Premier League coming up. The standards are really high every day and I am loving it.”
Privilege
One of the most intriguing aspects of the new season will be seeing Rigg’s on-pitch relationship with the mercurial Enzo Le Fee continue to grow. The French midfielder was already a popular figure with the Wearside faithful when he swapped life with Serie A club Roma to help Sunderland get across the line in their bid for promotion into the Premier League during Regis Le Bris’ first season in charge.
The Championship play-off final win against Sheffield United triggered a clause in the loan agreement with Roma that allowed Le Fee to become a permanent member of the Black Cats ranks ahead of the club’s long-awaited return to the top flight of English football. The former Lorient star scored five goals and provided six assists in 36 Premier League appearances last season and has been in eye-catching form during Sunderland’s pre-season campaign.
Rigg described playing alongside the French star as ‘a privilege’ and insisted their connection on the pitch will improve throughout the new season. He said: “Enzo is unbelievable and it’s a privilege to play anywhere near him on the pitch. I think we have a good connection, I think it’s getting better and hopefully it can get better during the season.”
Good test
Sunderland will shortly focus their attention on next weekend’s friendly at Ligue 1 club Lens after they faced Premier League rivals Liverpool and Leeds United and Phil Parkinson’s Wrexham throughout their mini tour of the United States over the last fortnight. The visit to the Stade Bollaert-Delelis will be followed by a first home friendly of the summer when Rennes travel to the Stadium of Light before the competitive action gets underway with a trip to Premier League newcomers Ipswich Town in three weeks time.
The Black Cats are expected to be up to full strength by the time they head to Lens next weekend after their World Cup finals stars returned to contention following their exploits in North America during the tournament. Reflecting on his own preparations for an exciting season, Rigg revealed his satisfaction over the trio of games in the United States and believes there is still time for the Black Cats squad to gel ahead of the new campaign.
He said: “It was good, it’s always good to get back on the pitch and test the legs out. Unfortunately, we didn’t get the result we wanted - but it’s minutes in the tank. It’s been really good having most of the squad back. There’s still a few players that are missing so we can all gel together before the season - but it’s been good.”
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