'Wonderful left foot and incredibly competitive animal' - Tony Mowbray talks up Sunderland youngster

Sunderland wonderkid in line for a potential debut at Shrewsbury.

Tony Mowbray has given Sunderland youngster Chris Rigg a glowing review after confirming he would be in the squad for Shrewsbury.

Rigg is just 15-years-old and he would become one of the youngest players in Sunderland history should he make a debut at New Meadow.

He is considered one of the top prospects in the country, and Sunderland are trying to keep him out of the clutches of Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool and Newcastle – and Mowbray can understand why.

"Chris is coming with us," Mowbray said ahead of the trip to Shrewsbury.

"I watched him train today with the first team in our game preparation stuff and he was very impressive for a boy, and a slight boy at that.

“He's got a wonderful left foot and he is an incredibly competitive animal. It was really interesting for me to watch him - I have to say that the potential looks enormous.

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"He looks like someone who is going to play with that silkiness with the passing on his left foot and he looks to have that tiger in him as well, he wants to tackle everyone. It's not a bad mix for a midfielder.

“He's a boy of 15, I don't want to build him up too much other than to say that from what I've seen he warrants being around our squad."

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