Here’s the thing about Tottenham Hotspur collecting super talented teenagers: at what point do you just... stop? After diving into the young end of the pool (ok that’s not a good metaphor, strike that, reverse it, this way please!) last summer, Spurs seemingly can’t help but be linked to even more talented youngsters.
This time it’s Sunderland attacking midfielder Chris Rigg, as reported by regional paper The Northern Echo, who is already considered one of the Black Cats’ best players, and he just turned 17. There’s a lot of reasons to be excited about Rigg — he has 4G+1A in 2500 minutes in the Championship before he can legally order a beer in the pub, for one. He’s been described as “the next best young player after Jude Bellingham” and has “a Roy Kean-esque type of nastiness” (which now that I think about it may not be the compliment they think it is).
When evaluating transfer sources regarding players in lower divisions, I tend to think the smaller, regional newspapers are the ones that really has the goods, so a paper like the Echo makes me take notice. Notably, the Echo says that Rigg’s future might hang on whether Sunderland are able to promote this summer or not; if they fail to make it through, Rigg is more likely to be sold to any number of interested clubs.
But the kid IS good. He’s saucy as hell with the ball at his feet, isn’t afraid to take on a player on the dribble, and has a confidence or even a fearlessness that seems pretty uncommon for a kid his age. He’s thriving at the Championship level against real adults at 17, which is a strong indicator that he’s likely going to take a developmental leap and be good at the top level as well. But the leap from the Championship to the Premier League is HUGE, and not every player successfully makes it. There’s an element of risk associated with the signing of any young player, especially at what could be a large transfer fee.
And to be clear, as talented as he is, I do have some questions about Rigg’s fit at a club like Spurs. His best position is at the 8, and while you can squint and say he could potentially be a rotational option for James Maddison next season in that role, Spurs are buying at least one other central midfielder this summer and I think I’d be a little nervous about entrusting that level of responsibility on a kid that young who’s taking his first step to top level Premier League football. Riggs has the feel of an extremely Brighton signing, or another club that can give him the developmental minutes he needs at the top level to keep growing.
Spurs, by contrast, are possibly ready to let go a number of senior players this summer (notably Yves Bissouma and Rodrigo Bentancur) and could really use some experienced, proven top level replacements. Riggs doesn’t fit that bill quite yet.
That said, at a certain level, if you are able to get your football club to sign a young talent like “Riggsy,” you kind of go with that, even if you’re not sure exactly how he fits in. Or maybe Spurs would purchase him and loan him out for a year or two. That may be what’s going on here, I don’t really know.