The perceived wisdom is that Sunderland sold their best player in the summer when Jack Clarke went to Premier League newcomers Ipswich Town.
But his departure has created an opportunity for others to step up and Rigg has seized the initiative.
He was handed his debut by former Black Cats boss Tony Mowbray aged 15 years and 203 days when he came on as a substitute against Shrewsbury Town in the FA Cup in January 2023 – making him the youngest outfield player in the club’s history.
He scored on his first league appearance against Southampton in September last year when still only 16.
Not 18 until next summer, the youngster has impressed Le Bris with his maturity and his willingness to learn.
“I don’t think the age is a problem. You can have a high level of maturity at 17 and you can have a low level of maturity at 30,” said the Frenchman.
“It depends on the player’s personality. Chris still wants to improve, he still wants to understand the game.”
