JUST IN:Sunderland agree deal in principle with 16y/o star, but new head coach remains key

Sunderland have agreed a deal in principle with Chris Rigg, but he is still waiting to see who the new head coach is before committing his future to the club, as per James Copley.

Sunderland are in dire need of a better season this time

rigg, 16, had a breakthrough season last time out. He played 21 senior games, scoring twice in the Championship.

The talented midfielder should once again be a regular feature within the first team and the more he plays and impresses, the higher his value will rise and that can only be a good thing for Sunderland.

Not many 16-year-olds play as much senior football as Rigg did last season, and he needs to keep that in mind when deciding where his future lies this summer.

Consistent football is hugely important and should he move to a big-name club, he would likely not be involved with their first team immediately.

Not only do Sunderland need to product a stellar transfer window in terms of player recruitment, they also still need to appoint a new head coach.

The wait has now stretched almost 120 days since Beale’s sacking and not only is the next appointment huge because the expectation will be high next season, but it will also dictate the future of the likes of Rigg.

Sunderland have to be back competing in the top half as a minimum. Top six should be the aim, but they were miles away last season and it remains to be seen whether one summer is enough to bridge a gap that big.