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KRISTJAAN SPEAKMAN insists Sunderland are ‘unconcerned’ by the mounting speculation over teenage sensation Chris Rigg.
Rigg committed his future to Sunderland in the summer when he signed his first professional contract with the Black Cats despite alternative offers from a number of clubs in the top-flight.
The 17-year-old has enjoyed a superb start to the current campaign, cementing a starting spot in Regis Le Bris’ first team and scoring goals in home games against Middlesbrough and Leeds United.
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His rapid progress has led to renewed speculation over his future, with Manchester United and Newcastle United both having been heavily linked with a potential January move for his services.
Rigg was even touted as a possible target for Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund earlier this autumn, and while Speakman is far from surprised by the increasingly-frenzied transfer talk, he is adamant it does not worry him.
Speaking in an interview with the Second Tier podcast, Sunderland’s sporting director said: “The interest is always a backhanded compliment. Would we rather have a team full of talent where everyone is talking about buying and trading our players, or would we rather have a group that no one’s really interested in?
“I think it’s not a hard question to answer. So, we try to put ourselves in the right position around our contracts and how we manage our squad, etc. We try to provide that opportunity. We try to ensure that we’re aligned with the players.
“I think I’ve always said that sometimes players will progress faster than the club and there’ll be another opportunity for them. We have to respect that.
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