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James Copley: Chris Rigg’s reaction to Sunderland selection setback tells you everything Chris Rigg has responded impressively to fierce Sunderland competition after another eye-catching pre-season display against RC Lens You could forgive Chris Rigg for feeling a little frustrated with Régis Le Bris. You could certainly forgive him for wondering what more he needs to do. The teenager has produced an excellent pre-season, contributing something in just about every game he has played. He has looked stronger physically, sharper technically and increasingly comfortable taking responsibility in a Sunderland team operating at a significantly higher level than it was even 12 months ago. Then came RC Lens and, suddenly, Rigg found himself back where he spent plenty of time during Sunderland’s first season back in the Premier League: on the bench. There was a pretty straightforward explanation. For the first time this summer, Le Bris could field something approaching his preferred midfield, with Granit Xhaka at six, Noah Sadiki at eight and Enzo Le Fée operating further forward. That is quite a trio to displace. Rigg’s response said plenty We know enough about Rigg by now, though, to know he is not a sulker. If anything, being left out appeared to sharpen him. Introduced during the second half in France, Rigg immediately looked bright and eventually produced one of the best pieces of attacking quality in the game. His delivery onto Trai Hume’s head for Sunderland’s opener was beautifully measured, taking out the Lens defence and giving the Northern Ireland international exactly the ball he needed. It was not a hopeful cross into an area. It was precise and deliberate, the sort of action that catches the eye because it requires the player to see the opportunity before it properly develops. Sunderland want to develop their attacking patterns further this season. Le Fée will undoubtedly be central to that process, but having another technically gifted midfielder capable of seeing and executing those passes is hardly an inconvenience. He was not finished there. With Lens pushing for an equaliser, Rigg spotted Chemsdine Talbi’s run and clipped a clever ball over the top from midfield. Talbi did the rest, bursting forward before finding Wilson Isidor for the improvised finish that made it 2-0. Two Sunderland goals and Rigg had played an important role in both. A different player from 12 months ago That is increasingly the point with Rigg. We have talked about his mentality almost from the moment he first emerged, but the quality is developing alongside it. Rigg has done virtually everything Sunderland could have asked of him this summer. For me, he has been their most consistent performer across pre-season and arguably their best. That is hugely impressive for a 19-year-old attempting to force his way into a midfield containing established internationals and players bought for enormous fees. There is also something quite revealing about how he has responded to that increased competition. Rigg could look around and see Xhaka, Sadiki, Le Fée and Habib Diarra competing for essentially three midfield positions and conclude that his pathway has narrowed. Instead, he has spent the summer making himself increasingly difficult to ignore. Rigg has played as an eight, a 10 and from the right, and that versatility could prove extremely useful for Le Bris once the fixture schedule becomes congested. There will be games when Sunderland need control, others when they need more aggression and some when they simply need somebody capable of producing a moment of imagination. Rigg increasingly looks capable of offering a bit of everything. Rigg no longer looks like a talented youngster Sunderland are trying to find minutes for. He increasingly looks like a genuine first-team option who will have to be left out on merit. The Ipswich decision That does not necessarily mean he starts against Ipswich. If everyone is fit, Le Bris has some extremely difficult decisions to make, and Rigg may still find himself among the substitutes. Xhaka provides leadership, control and experience at the base of midfield. Sadiki has become hugely important, while Le Fée offers the sort of creativity and technical security Sunderland need higher up the pitch. Diarra adds another completely different dimension. It is fierce competition, and that should be viewed as a positive rather than some kind of slight on Rigg. Starting the opening Premier League game and playing regularly across the course of the season are also two very different things. Sunderland have Premier League and Europa League football to navigate, alongside the domestic cups. There will be a boatload of minutes available, and Rigg has done his chances of claiming a significant share of them absolutely no harm. Indeed, perhaps this is precisely the environment he needs. Last season was about proving he could survive at Premier League level and making his mark whenever opportunities arrived. The next challenge is to become somebody capable of regularly influencing games there. On the evidence of this summer, that development is already taking place. The £50million question It is easy to forget just how young Rigg remains. At 19, he could conceivably spend another decade developing and still only be approaching what should be his peak years. That is why talk of enormous future valuations does not feel particularly fanciful. If his trajectory continues, Sunderland could one day find themselves with a player worth north of £50million – and even that might eventually look conservative. There are no guarantees, of course. Football development is rarely linear, and the competition at Sunderland is now ferocious. Rigg will have quieter games, spells out of the starting XI and moments when patience is required. But that is what makes this summer particularly encouraging. Rigg has been presented with arguably the biggest challenge of his young career. His response has effectively been: good, try and stop me. That mentality, combined with his obvious quality, is why he remains one of the most exciting players Sunderland have. And I cannot wait to see where this season takes him.