Chris Rigg could be in line for a Championship debut during Sunderland's run-in - but boss Tony Mowbray admits he is in the dark over the teenager's contract situation. Mowbray has already given the 15-year-old midfielder a taste of senior football this season, involving him from the bench in the Black Cats' FA Cup third round tie against Shrewsbury Town and then in the two fourth round games against Premier League Fulham, which went to a replay.
But so far the academy product has yet to feature in a league game, although he was an unused substitute in the match at Blackpool on New Year's Day. That could change in Sunderland's final eight games of the season as Mowbray looks to give a number of youngsters some gametime, with Rigg and forward Tom Watson and midfielder Caden Kelly, both of whom are 16 years old, among those who could be handed a start, although the head coach says tomorrow's trip to Championship leaders Burnley would not be the right time to make such a move.
"Chris Rigg will come into my thinking for the remaining eight games," said Mowbray. "You're maybe looking at Rigg, Tom Watson and Caden Kelly – these are young players who are doing pretty well.
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"It's about opportunity really - if a space opens up, or I decide on any given day that we're going to leave out one of the players that's played a lot of football, then there's the potential to maybe give one of the kids a start in these games that are left. But we have to pick the right [game], and if I'm being totally honest, it's probably not Burnley away."
Rigg is still at school which limits the amount of time he can spend training with Sunderland to two days per week. The Hebburn-born England U16 midfielder became Sunderland's youngest-ever outfield player when he made his senior debut against Shrewsbury in early January.
But there has also been speculation over his future as his youth contract at Sunderland expires this summer and so far no senior deal has been agreed, with neighbours Newcastle United, along with Manchester United and Liverpool, understood to be closely monitoring his situation. Mowbray was happy to bat off questions about Rigg's contract, pointing out that that falls under the remit of sporting director Kristjaan Speakman.
He said: "To be honest, I'm not really sure what's happening [with Rigg's contract]. I don't get involved on that side of things.
"I just try to work with the players, and obviously Chris is only in one or two days a week. I don't see him very often, and I have no idea about that [his contract] side of things with him.
"Kristjaan is the guy who can give an update on that sort of stuff."
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