Sunderland already have a homegrown Bouaddi brewing & it’s not Rigg

Sunderland played out their final game of a jaw-dropping 2025 when drawing 1-1 with Leeds United.

It really has been a dream year from a Black Cats perspective, with promotion finally achieved back up to the Premier League.

Yet, the Wearside giants were only getting started with that stunning feat, looking back, with four defeats from 18 top-flight games to date, seeing Regis Le Bris’ men enter into 2026 in a more than healthy seventh spot.

Sunderland fans would have been content if their team had stumbled to a 17th-place finish come the end of their first season back in the big time, as the hardened Stadium of Light masses leap into the New Year firmly in dreamland.

However, it isn’t all entirely rosy on Wearside, with Chris Rigg struggling to adapt to the pressures of the Premier League after a breakout campaign under Le Bris.

Rigg's struggles at Sunderland

For an 18-year-old still learning the ropes, it does feel as if Rigg has been in and around the senior picture at Sunderland for some time now

Indeed, he was only 15 years of age when Tony Mowbray would hand him his first-ever senior shot in the FA Cup.

But, while he had been gifted opportunities here and there to shine, it was last season, under Le Bris’ watchful eye, where the homegrown talent really came into his own as a consistent first-team presence.

Rigg would amazingly line up for 45 Championship clashes under the Frenchman, having only been afforded 21 league appearances the campaign before, and it would prove to be a masterstroke to make him a guaranteed starter.

The 12-time England U19 international would pick up four goals and one assist as his team were crowned playoff winners, with commentator Ian Darke stating that he will “obviously play in the Premier League”, even if Sunderland didn’t secure a passage up to the promised land.

He was also dubbed a “phenomenal” talent by scout Ben Mattinson, with the playoff final further seeing him bravely win two tackles and three duels for his boyhood employers.

Unfortunately for the teenage sensation, he is yet to look comfortable on such a grand stage, despite once being tipped to move to Manchester United, with zero goals or assists coming his way from only 253 minutes of action.

With Sunderland reportedly set to go after Ayyoub Bouaddi to enhance their midfield personnel, Rigg could slide down the pecking order even more.

But, with Le Bris’ track record evident with Rigg, they might well be better bumping up another academy gem to bolster his options, instead of forking out more major cash on the Arsenal-linked starlet.

Sunderland are already brewing a homegrown Bouaddi

Bouaddi really is the talk of the town in the Premier League heading into what will surely be a chaotic January window, with the 18-year-old – who has already been dubbed “world-class” by scout Jacek Kulig – on the shopping list of the likes of Chelsea and Mikel Arteta’s Gunners, away from the ultra-ambitious Black Cats.

Comfortable lining up as a defensive option centrally, or further forward, the Lille golden boy has four assists next to his name from 74 senior appearances, leading to the much-talked-about number 32 having an audacious £52m valuation slapped above his head.

Bouaddi is clearly heading for a major move in January, off the back of already being a Champions League-level star at the tender age of 18, with Sunderland hopeful they can compete with their mega-rich rivals in attempting to land his coveted signature.

But, if they realistically fall short, they won’t feel too downbeat, with Harrison Jones sticking out as a similarly silky performer from the middle of the park for the Black Cats at U21 level.

Equally capable of playing as a midfield anchor or further up the pitch as a number ten, much like Bouaddi, Jones can also boast a seriously impressive haul of 16 goals and 14 assists from 67 youth appearances and counting.

Subscribe for deeper Sunderland youth and transfer insights

Gain a clearer view of Sunderland’s squad-building choices: subscribe to our newsletter for in-depth analysis of academy prospects, scouting reports on talents like Bouaddi and Jones, and tactical context that helps you understand transfer decisions and long-term planning.

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

Six of those goal contributions have come just this season in Premier League 2 action, as the Sunderland-born “diamond” – as he was once labelled by youth coach John Hewitson – continues to stick out as a classy youngster centrally, like his £52m counterpart.

He wouldn’t cost a single penny to bump into the first team picture, unlike the bank having to be broken to land Bouaddi, with Sunderland more than vindicated in the past when bumping up the likes of Rigg to the men’s side, even if he has disappointingly fallen to the wayside since promotion was sealed.

Of course, Bouaddi has already been exposed to the difficult pressures of stages such as the Premier League to justify such a lavish price tag, with nine Champions League outings even under his belt.

Still, it feels far-fetched that Le Bris and Co. will be able to tempt him to Wearside, with Jones more than a standout alternative, having regularly been named on the bench by the Frenchman this season.

Sunderland plot move to sign Serie A forward who wants Premier League switch

The Black Cats could turn to the transfer market once again.

By
Tom Cunningham