Chelsea are hoping to secure the services of Sunderland midfielder Chris Rigg, according to Caught Offside.

The website’s sources say that the Blues are “eager” to sign the 17-year-old, who has been very influential for the Black Cats during the opening months of the season.

Rigg has helped his team to the top of the Championship table, having scored 3 times in 11 appearances so far.

Despite his young age, he has already become a key member of Sunderland’s first-team squad, so it is not a surprise that he is attracting so much interest from other teams.

4 other Premier League clubs are keeping an eye on Rigg

Caught Offside claim that Manchester United are expected to be Chelsea‘s main rival for the midfielder, although other top-flight teams have been watching him as well.

The likes of Arsenal, Brighton and Wolves have also been scouting Rigg in recent weeks, following his outstanding start to the campaign.

Chelsea will have to pay a big fee for the midfielder

It is believed that Sunderland could hold out for between £25m and £30m, which is a sizeable amount for a player who has only made 37 appearances at senior level.

The Blues are, however, not exactly averse to paying large sums for teenagers. They could end up paying upwards of £55m for Estevao Willian, with the Brazilian not set to make the switch to Stamford Bridge until next summer. They were also willing to spend £17m on Ecuadorian starlet Kendry Paez.

In that context, the fee for Rigg is not that high, especially when you factor in the premium for a homegrown player. It remains to be seen whether the club will table a formal bid but there appears to be a genuine interest in signing him.

Find out who is in Chelsea’s first-team squad for the 2024/2025 season here