Sunderland chief responds to speculation around in-demand star as West Brom target Stoke hero

Sunderland’s teenage sensation Chris Rigg has been turning heads this season after a string of impressive performances for the table-topping side.

The 17-year-old has scored twice in nine Championship matches from midfield, matching the tally of two in 21 that he managed in his breakout campaign last term.

Rigg is seen as one of the club’s prize assets after his rapid rise to prominence. He is seen as a player with a high ceiling in terms of potential and already the likes of Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Manchester United are believed to be circling around the Hebburn born youngster.

Sunderland fans will be keen for the star to stay as long as possible, but in a frank admission sporting director Kristjaan Speakman hinted that a sale could take place in January if they were to receive a suitable offer.

He told the Second Tier podcast: “I’m really, really pleased for him, and hopefully that gives a good inspiration to the other players in our academy system that when given the opportunities there, they’ll be given time on the pitch.”

When discussing transfer speculation around Rigg, he added: “The interest is always a backhanded compliment. Would we rather have a team full of talent where everyone is talking about buying and trading our players, or would we rather have a group that no one’s really interested in?

“I think it’s not a hard question to answer. So we try to put ourselves in the right position around our contracts and how we manage our squad. We try to provide that opportunity. We try to ensure that we’re aligned with the players.

“I think I’ve always said that sometimes players will progress faster than the club and they’ll be another opportunity for them. We have to respect that. We lost young Jack (Clarke) in the summer and he moved on to Ipswich, which I think is the way that the football system works.”

West Brom and Sheffield United target Pompey tormentor

Championship promotion hopefuls West Bromwich Albion and Sheffield United have set their sights on highly-rated Stoke City striker Tom Cannon.

The Leicester City loanee’s four-goal haul in the 6-1 rout against Portsmouth earmarked what he is capable of doing in this division and caught the attention of two sides with ambitions of making it to the promised land of the Premier League.

The 21-year-old signed for Stoke on a loan spell until the end of the season, but last season’s Championship winners do have an option for the youngster in January if needed, according to reporter Alan Nixon.

Nixon understands Leicester value the Everton academy graduate at around £10m if he is to depart on a permanent basis in January.