The former Sunderland favourite has issued a transfer warning over Chris Rigg and Jobe Bellingham. Chris Turner, a former Sunderland player, has spoken extensively about the club’s transfer plan and the current positions of starlets Chris Rigg and Jobe Bellingham. Rigg, 17, and Jobe, 19, have been regulars in Régis Le Bris’ squad this season, with Sunderland fighting for the top of the table after ten Championship games in 2024-25. The Black Cats’ model is largely based on giving young players opportunities to impress in front of a large crowd.
Turner, now 66, began his career at Sheffield Wednesday before moving to Sunderland in 1978, where he spent six seasons and made over 200 appearances in all competitions between the sticks. When asked about Sunderland’s youth-focused Championship strategy, Turner told The Echo: “Great on them. They followed a path and stayed on it. They haven’t been particularly successful, but pursuing a goal takes time. It takes time, especially when playing with a young team. But when you get there and begin to show signs of accomplishment, you will be successful, which is well worth the wait.
“You’ve got your young team growing together, playing together, winning together, and being successful. It’s a terrific feeling for both supporters and the club. Fans become frustrated, understandably, because it takes time. However, it takes time to build a club, establish a culture, and obviously strive for success on a constant basis. It takes time. I believe Sunderland is a few years away from achieving that goal.
“Some of them have been there for 18 months, 12 months, or 6 months. They’re on the squad, playing, and creating a name for themselves. They’re doing well, the team is doing well at the top of the league, in the top three or four, and those two youngsters, Rigg and Bellingham, have a bright future in the game, hopefully with Sunderland.”
Rigg and Jobe have recently received transfer interest. Rigg signed a three-year contract with the club last summer, and Jobe extended his contract with Sunderland over the off-season amid reports of Premier League bids. Turner, on the other hand, believes the pair’s development would be better served on Wearside for the time being, despite the expected future interest from top-tier clubs.
“The difficulty will be keeping the young players together because obviously prying eyes from above will be looking at these younger players,” Turner explained. “Especially the teams in the Premier League that are lower down the league, Everton and places like that, where a young player from the championship can step up and develop in their team.
“Developing into Arsenal’s and Manchester City’s teams is extremely difficult for young players today. As you mentioned, I moved to Manchester United, the greatest club in the First Division. Players did drop down from lower leagues to lesser clubs up there. Today, it is quite tough for young players to progress from Sunderland to the top three or four teams. They will not have game time.”
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