"No disrespect" - Sunderland AFC: Pundit issues Chris Rigg verdict as Newcastle United claims emerge | OneFootball

Carlton Palmer does not expect Sunderland's Chris Rigg to make a controversial switch to Newcastle anytime soon

Former England international and current pundit Carlton Palmer believes that Sunderland starlet Chris Rigg is unlikely to join rivals Newcastle United anytime soon, after reports that the 17-year-old would be open to a move to St James' Park.

Sunderland have been the Championship's surprise package for 2024/25, and recently-appointed head-coach Regis Le Bris' faith in young players is paying off so far this term, with 17-year-old Rigg the key beneficiary of his trust in youth.

The midfield starlet plays well beyond his years and has been one of the Black Cats' leading stars this season, so he looks destined to have a stellar career at the top level in the future.

His outstanding form has seen numerous top teams linked with a move for his services, but a fresh update in the race for his signature from GIVEMESPORT claims that he would be interested in eventually heading to the Magpies, as he is eager to join a side regularly competing for European qualification and silverware if he leaves Sunderland soon - not to mention that his father is a supporter of the Tyneside outfit.

Carlton Palmer issues Chris Rigg, Newcastle United verdict

Rigg became the second-youngest player in Sunderland's history when he made his debut in January 2023, and emerged as a regular in the senior side last season at just 16-years-old, with 22 appearances and three goals in all competitions.

He has been linked with a move to Newcastle throughout his rapid ascent to Sunderland stardom, and his dad is a known Magpies supporter, but Rigg has stayed on Wearside, and this term has seen his performances go up another level altogether.

The 17-year-old has earned major plaudits throughout English football for his standout showings, as he has been a regular starter since the start of this campaign, and bagged important goals against Middlesbrough and Leeds United while earning the Championship Young Player of the Month award for September.

Rigg is destined to go on to achieve big things in the game, and former player and current pundit Palmer rubbished talk of him joining Sunderland's arch-rivals anytime soon, as a result, when speaking exclusively to Football League World, as he is of the opinion that he will join a bigger club than the Magpies if he does leave the Stadium of Light either in January or at the end of the season.

“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 pounds 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.”

Chris Rigg has been linked with a move to some top clubs

Rigg's breakthrough last season was well-documented as he became one of the Black Cats' most important players in the second-half of the campaign, and the Sunderland Echo reported in February that his performances had earned interest from the likes of Bayern Munich, Manchester City, Chelsea, Manchester United and Liverpool.

He stayed at Sunderland beyond the summer, though, as HITC revealed last month that he had rejected respective offers from Manchester United and Newcastle, while his improved form this season has reportedly seen him garner further attention from Bundesliga giants Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig.

The race for the 17-year-old's services is definitely set to heat up as January beckons, and HITC also recently claimed that Manchester United’s hierarchy are looking closely at a deal as Sunderland brace themselves for offers, with sources believing that a deal could be agreed in January which would then see him make the move to Old Trafford next summer.

Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester City are all believed to have spoken to Rigg's representatives, while the likes of Dortmund, Bayern, Leipzig, Real Madrid and Barcelona each still maintain an interest in his services.

His three-year contract that was signed at the Stadium of Light in the summer has given the club a lot of power in potential transfer dealings, but while a move away does seem inevitable at some point in the future, a departure in the new year is not set to be approved, after reports from the Northern Echo that claim that the Black Cats will resist all approaches for the teenager during the January transfer window.

With that in mind, a switch to Newcastle looks very unlikely, mainly because of his current allegiances to Sunderland, but also given that his ceiling is even higher than a club that is not guaranteed European football every season, such as the Magpies.