Real Madrid facing serious competition to sign the ‘new Bellingham’

Not many English players have taken life away from England by storm like Jude Bellingham, who's creating a new legacy far away from the shores he grew up on.

Bellingham is one of Real Madrid's biggest stars. The Englishman is in his second season after a highly successful first campaign in the Spanish capital.

That doesn't stop president Florentino Pérez, however, from exploring the market to discover the 'new Bellingham'.

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According to Pasión Futból, Real Madrid's president wants to sign Sunderland prodigy Chris Rigg, who has impressed in the Championship this season.

At just 17, Rigg is already having an impact at Sunderland, scoring the winner in a 1-0 home win against Middlesbrough, helping his side to second place in the standings behind West Brom at the time.

Pasión Futból describes Rigg as a player with "technical ability, physicality, and maturity beyond his years", qualities that Jude Bellingham also possesses.

In his short career, Rigg has made 40 appearances for Sunderland's first team, finding the back of the net on five occasions. This season, he's featured in 14 of Sunderland's games in the Championship, scoring three times.

His excellent performances have caught the attention from a number of European giants, with Pep Guardiola's Manchester City reportedly interested in bringing Rigg to the Etihad.

Real Madrid and City are reportedly facing competition from Chelsea and Liverpool, making the race for Rigg fierce.

But despite his obvious qualities, a move to Europe's top could prove too soon for Rigg, who can gain some valuable experience outside the spotlights at the Stadium of Light. And as things stand, he could well be playing in the Premier League next season.

That said, Rigg's current deal at Sunderland runs until mid-2027, and Transfermarkt has tagged him with a €9 million (£7.52m/$10.06m) price tag.

Former England international Carlton Palmer said: "If Sunderland are going to sell him in the January transfer window, which I think would be crazy, then they are going to want £50-60 million to part with him."

Whatever happens in the near future, Rigg's future looks bright. Will he follow in the footsteps of Jude Bellingham?

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