Man Utd are desperate to land the English Lamine Yamal who’s tearing up the Championship

The Championship has a reputation for chaos and cult heroes, but these days it’s actually churning out some of English football’s most exciting talents on an extremely regular basis.

It was where an outrageously young Jude Bellingham made his first steps into senior football with Birmingham and was also the place where Michael Olise and Eberechi Eze both found their stride before earning moves to the Premier League.

Bellingham is now a Champions League winner and an icon at Real Madrid, while Olise is banging them in for fun in his first season at Bayern Munich, while barely breaking a sweat.

Long story short, the days of Dean Windass leading the way and flying the flag for the Coca-Cola era appear to be long gone.

That certainly seems the case judging by the progress of the next generation of talent, namely one Chris Rigg, who has burst onto the scene at Sunderland and fired his way to superstardom at the Stadium of Light – despite barely being old enough for his provisional driving licence.

Born in June 2007, Rigg wasn’t even alive and kicking to see Manchester United win their first Premier League title since 2003, he’d have had zero clue about Jose Mourinho’s reign of terror at Chelsea and he would’ve just about been walking when Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona rose to prominence in the late 2000s.

Feel old yet? Because we’re about to go further. Rigg would’ve been just turning nine years old when Leicester did the unthinkable and won the Premier League in 2015-16. Nine. Crikey.

However, you’d have no idea he was that young if you watched him – if you look past the babyface – because of how he glides around the pitch like a veteran, picking holes in defences with his passes and his carries from midfield for Sunderland.

In short, Rigg must’ve studied up and watched the tapes. He’s a purist with talent pouring out of every orifice and potential through the roof.

An attacking midfielder, the teenager actually made his senior bow for the Black Cats in January 2023, with Tony Mowbray leaning on his potential amid an injury crisis. In doing so, Rigg became the club’s second youngest debutant at 15 years, 202 days and made a step up to the first team – alongside finishing his studies at school.

Hebburn’s answer to Lamine Yamal in that regard, Rigg is equally as exciting albeit on a lesser stage – for now. His latest goal for Sunderland is testament to that, dazzling the Stadium of Light with a backheel finish so filthy that you’ll need a shower after watching.

Chris Rigg, take a BOW! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/jwCquWElwG

— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) September 21, 2024

The cheek of it. Fantastic and fearless, the teenager combines an unbelievable technical ability with outstanding awareness to do things way above his pay grade. And the big guns are noticing.

A report from HITC states that Manchester United are determined to land the teenager amid previous interest from clubs abroad and wish to avoid a repeat of how they missed out on Bellingham.

READ NEXT: The 10 highest-paid Championship players in 2024-25: Leeds stars dominate…

TRY A QUIZ: Can you name all 72 Football League clubs in 2024-25?

United actually tried to sign Rigg before he inked professional terms with Sunderland, as did Newcastle, but both clubs were unsuccessful. In an era of clubs hoovering up talent to bloat their academies with, it’s incredibly refreshing to see young Rigg prioritising experience at senior level over a big, flashy move.

After signing a professional, three-year deal with Sunderland, Rigg explained: “I just want to develop as a player, to be honest with you. I think I’ve still got so much more in my game I can develop.”

Wise beyond his years in a number of ways, Rigg comes from a family of Newcastle fans – the kryptonite to an otherwise flawless profile.

But for as long as Sunderland fans get to enjoy that wonderful left foot, his RADAR passing and his lung-busting runs with the ball for a little longer, they’ll look past that.

The sky is the limit for Rigg, and for as long as he’s balling for the Black Cats, a return to the Premier League is very much reality.

By Mitch Wilks