Cavan Sullivan: Who is the 14-year-old that's reportedly set to sign for Man City?
- Cavan Sullivan is regarded as one of the best 14-year-old talents in all of soccer
- Sullivan recently made his MLS Next Pro debut with Philadelphia Union II
- The youngster is set to join Man City in 2028 after his 18th birthday
Cavan Sullivan officially signed his record-breaking Major League Soccer deal with Philadelphia Union and he's expected to join Manchester City when he turns 18.
Sullivan has been lauded as the best player in the world at his age and he's signed the most lucrative MLS Homegrown Player deal in history. It's not everyday that a player who just made his MLS Next Pro debut inks a deal to sign with arguably the best side in the world in Man City before they even have their driver's license.
So, who exactly is Cavan Sullivan who's set to join Man City upon turning 18-years-old?
What was the reported deal for Sullivan?
According to a report from The Athletic, Man City reportedly agreed to shell out a fee just north of $2m for Sullivan, an enormous amount even by their standards for a player who has yet to make his first-team debut in MLS.
The deal for Sullivan could rise up to $5 million if certain bonuses and add-ons are met, and Sullivan is set to stay put in Philadelphia until September 28, 2027, which is his 18th birthday.
Who does Sullivan currently play for?
Sullivan has climbed through the Philadelphia Union academy and just recently made his debut at for the Eastern Conference club's second team, Philadelphia Union II in MLS Next Pro. Sullivan came off the bench as a substitute to make his first professional appearance on March 24 against New England Revolution II and grabbed an assist for the game-winning goal in the process.
What's so special about Sullivan?
Sullivan plays primarily as an attacking midfielder and has received plenty of praise for his ability on the ball and the ability to create chances out of nothing. Whenever Sullivan takes the pitch, he's often the best player on it, attracting a lot of attention from scouts.
"We're from the Philadelphia area, so naturally people will make comparisons to Pulisic, and I put my hand up and say, when I was in the youth academy here, people talked about Christian and I just said 'I don't know. We'll see. He's obviously, clearly, incredibly talented and 12 years old here, but there's still a long way to go,' Philadelphia first team head coach Jim Curtin said in an interview with Backheeled last year.
"I think Cavan, even more so than Christian, has stood out and turned even more heads. That's maybe the nicest compliment that I can give to a young kid that's still got a ton of years ahead of him. But it's not just me saying it, right? It's every scout not just in the country, but the world, so he's got the potential to do big things."
When will Sullivan make his MLS debut?
There's no clear-cut answer on when Sullivan could make his first-team debut, but since he's already broken through with Union II in MLS Next Pro, don't be surprised if he's earning appearances in MLS in a couple years' time.
If he debuts before July 29, 2024, he'll be the youngest player not only in North America's professional sports leagues, but also Europe's top five leagues.
As he'll be flying across the pond to join Man City in 2027, he'll want to get as much first-team experience as possible before trying to impress Pep Guardiola or whoever is in charge at the Etihad Stadium by then. The report from The Athletic also explained that Man City had hoped to send Sullivan out on Lommel SK in Belgium once he turned 16, but discussions between reigning Premier League champions and Philadelphia changed course so that the youngster will stay in the US.