IHN SPT 240509 SUNDERLAND V CHELSEA - Sunderland fans after the match PIctures by Ian Hodgson/Daily Mail
Ex-Sunderland favourite sends Chris Rigg and Jobe Bellingham transfer warning amid Premier League interest
The former Sunderland favourite has fired a transfer warning regarding Chris Rigg and Jobe Bellingham
Former Sunderland man Chris Turner has discussed Sunderland’s transfer strategy at length and delivered his thoughts on the statuses of starlets Chris Rigg and Jobe Bellingham.
Rigg, 17, and Jobe, 19, have been regulars in Régis Le Bris’ squad so far this season, with Sunderland fighting at the top end of the table after ten games played in the Championship during the 2024-25 campaign. The Black Cats’ model centres partly around handing opportunities to young players to impress in front of a big crowd.
Turner, now 66, started his career at Sheffield Wednesday before joining Sunderland in 1978, where he would stay for six seasons, making over 200 appearances in all competitions between the sticks for the Wearsiders during his stint.
Asked about Sunderland’s youth-focused approach in the Championship, Turner told The Echo: “Great on them. They’ve gone down a route, they’ve stuck to the route. They haven’t been what you would call really successful, but when you go down a route, it takes time. Especially when you’re playing a young side, it takes time. But when you get there, and you start the signs of being successful, then you become successful, well worth the wait.
