Having started the season as Sunderland head coach, Tony Mowbray wasted no time in reuniting with one of his former Black Cats players at Birmingham City during the January transfer window.
With Mowbray having been appointed Birmingham boss last month, he wasted little time in bringing Alex Pritchard from Sunderland to the Midlands.
The attacker joined on a permanent deal, signing a two-and-a-half-year contract, and made his debut for Blues in Saturday’s defeat at West Brom.
However, it appears that Mowbray may have his eye on another player he has previously worked with at the Stadium of Light.
Birmingham City show interest in Chris Rigg
According to the latest update from The Northern Echo, Birmingham have shown interest in Sunderland attacker Chris Rigg.
Having come through the youth ranks with the Black Cats, the teenager became the club’s second-youngest player when he made his debut in the FA Cup last year.
Rigg has since also become Sunderland’s youngest ever competitive goalscorer, and in total, has already made 11 senior appearances for the club, scoring twice.
However, Birmingham City are not alone in their interest in the 16-year-old. The report also namechecks Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester City, Manchester United, and Bayern Munich as being among the potential suitors for the attacking midfielder.
Due to his age, Rigg is not yet eligible to sign a professional contract with Sunderland, meaning he could be signed by another club for a compensation fee, as things stand.
Rigg could be an excellent signing for Birmingham
It does feel as though bringing Rigg to St Andrew’s could be a smart move for Birmingham City to make.
The attacker already looks well at home in the Championship at just 16 years old, and he is likely to become even more adept at this level with experience.
That could make him a useful long-term asset for the club, and one it would make sense to move for him now while he is available on a cheaper compensation package, than he will be when he becomes eligible to sign a professional contract.
In turn, that move will also allow Birmingham City to maximise any resale potential for profit they have, from any deal they secure for the attacker.
Given Mowbray previously worked with him at Sunderland, this move could be more appealing to Rigg than others, and may also boost Blues’ chances of getting the best out of him, while those links elsewhere would make this a major coup.
Having lost Jobe Bellingham to Sunderland in the summer, snatching one of the Black Cats’ own hugely promising young talents in the form of Rigg, may also be particularly appealing to those of a Birmingham persuasion.