Sunderland cause 'problem' around potential January exit as Chris Rigg to Newcastle United assessed - round-up
A look at the latest Sunderland-related transfer speculation
With the end of the year looming ever larger and the January transfer window just around the corner, Sunderland and their current crop of bright young things continue to attract plenty of attention.
As such, the gossip columns are brimming with chatter involving the Black Cats, and with that in mind, here are a couple of the stories that you might have missed over the past couple of days...
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Dortmund encounter Bellingham ‘problem’
Reports in Germany continue to link Borussia Dortmund with a swoop for Sunderland sensation Jobe Bellingham. The teenager has been touted as a target for the Bundesliga giants for some time now, and speculation remains rife as the January transfer window swiftly approaches.
According to an update from Bild, Dortmund’s interest is “getting serious”, while contact between the club and the Bellingham family “still exists, albeit sporadically”, following Jude’s stint in yellow and black.
But should Dortmund make their move in January, it is suggested that they will not have things all their own way. Bild claim that the Black Cats valuation of around £16.7 million will be too steep for the German side this winter, a detail which presents a “problem” for a Dortmund outfit who may need to prioritise other positions in their mid-season recruitment drive. It is unlikely that a January snub will fully dissuade Dortmund, however. Bild go on to state that their keenness on the Sunderland player could “become really hot” next summer.
Rigg to Newcastle assessed
Elsewhere, pundit Carlton Palmer has suggested that Sunderland starlet Chris Rigg is unlikely to sign for bitter rivals Newcastle United any time soon. The Magpies have been repeatedly linked with the teenager since his emergence from the Black Cats’ academy system, but the former England international is convinced that it would take a humongous fee, or a long period of time, to make a move possible.
Speaking to Football League World, he said: “I know some Sunderland fans would see that as a betrayal, but Newcastle are going really well under Eddie Howe. He’s done a fantastic job. Newcastle have been chasing Chris Rigg for a long time. They were interested in getting him before he signed his first professional contract at Sunderland. For me, he is the outstanding youngster in the Championship.
“No disrespect to Newcastle United, but Chris Rigg will be bound for a top club either in the UK or in Europe. So, [playing for Newcastle] 'in the future' could mean way, way down the line in the future. I think he’s destined for the top of the game, if he continues to make the progress and the strides that he is doing.
“You never know, if Newcastle come up with the money, but have they got that type of money to come up with now? £50 or 60 million for a player? He’d certainly go straight into the first team, and the development would go on. When you play for any club, and then go to a club that are their rivals, then of course the supporters aren’t going to be happy - I don’t see that happening with Rigg in the near future.”