United Beyond Manchester

Sunderland secured Premier League promotion with a comeback 2-1 win over Sheffield United. Now, their talented young stars could be harder for United to sign this summer.

Teenagers Chris Rigg, Jobe Bellingham, and Tommy Watson have been turning the heads of large European clubs all season. All three played a major part in Sunderland’s promotion campaign, and the club has resigned to lose the players this summer, with Watson already joining Brighton.

Rigg has been admired by Manchester United for several months. The club considered a move in January but opted to pursue other targets. The 17-year-old has featured 68 times for the Black Cats in the past two seasons, registering eight goal involvements.

Sunderland recently slapped a £40 million price tag on Rigg, a move they hope will deter clubs from pursuing their talented midfielder. Tottenham, Chelsea, Arsenal, and several top European clubs are interested in him.

Bellingham, the younger brother of Real Madrid and England star Jude, started his career at Birmingham City, where he earned his first move to Sunderland in 2023. Since moving to northeast England, Bellingham has excelled, becoming a key player in the promotion run this season.

After previously missing out on Jude Bellingham, Manchester United is showing interest in Jobe. However, other clubs currently have the upper hand. Liverpool recently entered the race for the 19-year-old, while a transfer to Borussia Dortmund is a logical step, especially given Jude’s successful three-season stint there before his move to Madrid.

Tommy Watson didn’t start the Playoff Final but provided the biggest moment of the match. In stoppage time, the 19-year-old picked up a loose pass in the midfield before attacking quickly and curling a beautiful finish into the bottom corner to send the Black Cats to the Premier League.

Brighton won the race to sign Watson last month for £10 million, as reported by the BBC.

To secure the signatures of Chris Rigg or Jobe Bellingham this summer, Manchester United will need to rely on the club’s reputation for player development and its rich history. With no European football on offer following a disappointing Premier League season and a Europa League Final defeat to Tottenham, United may struggle to convince them. Both players could choose to stay at Sunderland, where they may find equal—or potentially greater—opportunities, especially considering the level of competition for places at other clubs.

Chris Rigg appears more likely than Bellingham to join Ruben Amorim’s squad next season—but can Manchester United beat their rivals to his signature?