Chris Rigg was a surprise inclusion in Sunderland U21s starting line-up for their Premier League 2 Play-Off triumph over West Ham United.

The Black Cats youngster played around 70 minutes of the dramatic comeback win over the Hammers in the quarter-final stage of the competition, earning some vital minutes ahead of international action with England this summer.

Rigg appeared to be holding his hamstring after going full throttle into a challenge, before being replaced, but U21s assistant John Hewitson played down any talk of an injury after the full-time whistle.

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16-year-old Rigg was a mainstay in Sunderland's starting line-up towards the end of the recent Championship campaign, catching the eye of Manchester United and German giants Borussia Dortmund and Bundesliga winners Bayer Leverkusen. 

Sunderland are hoping to tie Rigg down to a first professional contract next month, when he celebrated his 17th birthday and hope the lure of further first-team minutes will be enough to sway a decision.

Premier League giants Manchester United are expected to make an offer for the rising star this summer and it's one to keep an eye on.

The 16-year-old has bypassed his own age group and the Under-21s, spending the majority of the season with the first team, impressing despite a difficult season for the club.

Rigg has featured on just five occasions for the 21s this season. His most recent arriving in that win over the Hammers.

“We're just wanting to get him some game time," Hewitson said as he explained Rigg's involvement post-match. "Selfishly it improves the team because he's a first-time player.

"It improves us and it gives them some vital match minutes before he goes away with England tomorrow.”

Rigg is away on international duty with England ahead of the Under-17s European Championship's this summer.

There were some concerns that Rigg had picked up an injury late into the tie when he was seen holding the back off his leg.

“He was absolutely shattered,” said Hewitson when asked why Rigg was removed after 70 minutes, playing down any talk of an injury.

The youngster had propelled himself into the spotlight in the last few seasons with just a few appearances aged 15 to regular Championship football a year later.

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“For Chris, he's had like a really accelerated trajectory over the last couple of season," Hewitson said. "As academy staff want to see them play up [age groups] and always be challenged. He's just got that mentality of he's he doesn't get fazed by things. So, we’re just hoping that he keeps progressing in the first team and has a real impact. We want to make sure that he's a star for us."

Rigg wasn’t part of the squad for the 21’s for their round of 16 game against Wolves that came two days after the first teams final game of the Championship season. When asked if Rigg was left out due to the quick turn around Hewitson said: "I think it was just recuperation, he played a lot of the final games and had a pivotal role.

"So it was the case of just our medical and sports science team just monitoring his load and understanding that he needed a bit of a breather. And then with England camp coming up, we just thought, well, why not? He adds value to the team, so why not put him in the 21’s?"