I will join Man United on one condition – Sunderland star stance emerges on transfer Man United want to complete in January

I will join Man United on one condition – Sunderland star stance emerges on transfer Man United want to complete in January

Manchester United are showing strong interest in signing Sunderland sensation Chris Rigg in January, and a report has outlined how the Black Cats will respond.

Ruben Amorim is well-positioned to take over as Manchester United’s next permanent manager.

The Premier League encounter against Ipswich Town on November 24 is scheduled to be the Portuguese’s first game in charge, and he will formally assume control during the November international break.

For the time being, Ruud van Nistelrooy will continue to serve as interim manager. After Amorim arrives, Old Trafford’s focus will swiftly shift to the January transfer market.

But according to reports, the team plans to sign someone whether or not Amorim is involved. Man Utd is frantically trying to get Chris Rigg, the sensational 17-year-old from Sunderland.

The attacking midfielder has already been hailed as the “best young player” and has swiftly established himself as a consistent starter for the Championship team that leads the table.

A prior report from GiveMeSport claimed Man Utd would seek to sign Rigg irrespective of who their manager is. Erik ten Hag was in charge at the time of that report and it stands to reason United will push ahead with their plans after Amorim arrives.

Rigg is reportedly the type of player Man Utd hope to build their future around and TEAMtalk can verify the club’s interest is strong.

But according to a fresh update from Football Insider, Man Utd may be met with a brick wall from Sunderland.

They claim Regis Le Bris’ side ‘will do everything they can’ to prevent Rigg from leaving in January. Their reasoning behind that stance is understandable – Sunderland are chasing promotion to the Premier League and don’t wish to lose such a crucial player mid-season.

Will Sunderland cave to Man Utd pressure?
One potential compromise could come in the form of Rigg being signed by a club like Man Utd who then loan the player back to Sunderland for the remainder of the season.

But from a Sunderland perspective, the ideal outcome would be any and all offers in January are rejected and Rigg stays.

Indeed, with the player on a massive upwards trajectory, his valuation in the market could rise and rise between January and the summer. Selling early could deprive Sunderland of an even greater windfall.

Man Utd are by no means alone in chasing the England Under-18 international. Heavyweight competition comes in the form of Real Madrid, while the likes of Newcastle and Everton are also interested.

The latter two on that list – Everton especially – could potentially offer Rigg a quicker route into the first-team.

Rigg signed a three-year contract with Sunderland over the summer that runs until 2027. As such, Sunderland are not under pressure to cash in.