Sunderland’s youth academy is teeming with promising talent, and we’re eager to highlight three emerging stars poised to make their mark this season.

In recent years, Sunderland has earned a reputation as a nurturing ground for exciting young prospects. Under the guidance of Tony Mowbray, the club has embarked on a clear and ambitious plan to integrate numerous highly regarded youngsters into their ranks. While some, like Jobe Bellingham, have already broken into the first team, there are others on the brink of making their mark after emerging from the academy.

Here are three young Sunderland talents who we believe deserve promotion for the remainder of the season:

1. Chris Rigg:
At the top of our list is Chris Rigg, a name that has already graced the first-team stage, notably by scoring in Sunderland’s dominant 5-0 victory over Southampton in the Championship. Rigg is recognized as one of England’s most promising young midfielders, regularly representing the England under-18 team. Impressively, despite just turning 16 in June, Rigg has already made his debut. We firmly believe that he is more than ready for the elevated competition, and providing him with consistent first-team opportunities could help the club retain him, as other clubs like Manchester United have expressed interest.

2. Tom Watson:
Tom Watson is another budding talent who has emerged from Sunderland’s academy in recent years. Although he has yet to make his debut for the first team, there is a growing sense of inevitability around his promotion, as Tony Mowbray has been closely monitoring his progress, as reported by The Sun. Watson, at the age of 17, has already joined Rigg in England’s under-18 setup and is regarded as a genuine prospect within the club. With one goal and one assist in his two youth league appearances this season (across both under-18 and PL 2 leagues), it seems only a matter of time before he gets his chance to shine.

3. Jake Waters:
Our third prospect to watch is the 17-year-old forward, Jake Waters. Waters has exhibited remarkable scoring prowess in the under-18 Premier League, notching an impressive 14 goals and providing five assists in 27 games. Standing at 6’3″, he boasts the physical attributes of a dominant striker, and his professional contract signed over the summer has generated considerable excitement among Sunderland’s staff. With Mason Burstow facing a dip in form, Waters seems more than deserving of an opportunity this season to further impress Tony Mowbray and make a significant impact.