The Premier League champions are set to win the race for the Philadelphia Union academy star who has garnered interest from around Europe
American soccer is no stranger to teenage prodigies. Perhaps the most famous one the sport has ever seen, Freddy Adu, came from the U.S., rising to prominence at just 14 years old. In the years since, Christian Pulisic, Gio Reyna, Tyler Adams, Weston McKennie and Yunus Musah all became stars in their teenage years before leading the charge to the 2022 World Cup.
All of those mentioned were very good players as teenagers, and were coveted by the biggest clubs in the world. They were never, though, touted as the best in the world within their age group. They were never called the can't-miss player of their birth year. They were never the very best in the world.
That's what Cavan Sullivan is being tipped as right now. The Philadelphia Union starlet is being hailed as "the best 14-year-old player in the world", and, this time around, it may not be an exaggeration. Sullivan is a legitimate superstar in the making, a player with all of the skill and ability to truly make it to the top levels of the sport.
That's why Manchester City have already pounced, moving quickly to sign Sullivan years before he can even hope of playing for them. It's also why plenty of other top European clubs tried before City even got their chance. Every elite team in the world has been watching a player that may prove to be the most coveted prospect the American game has ever seen.
But who is Sullivan and why have City made such a big move to sign him? GOAL takes a look…
Philadelphia UnionWhere it all began
Throughout the past decade or so, the Philadelphia Union have probably been the best club in MLS at producing talent. Brenden Aaronson, Paxten Aaronson, Auston Trusty, Mark McKenzie… the list goes on and on. There are several players waiting in the wings, too, destined for their own European moves.
Sullivan is one of those players, as is his older brother, Quinn. You see, the Sullivan family has no shortage of talent, with the two brothers representing two of the jewels of the Union Academy.
Sullivan's father, Brenden, played professionally in his day before becoming a coach. His mother played in college, too. Quinn Sullivan currently stars for the Union, having made 86 appearances over the last four years, while the family's two other brothers, twins Declan and Ronan, are also rising through the Philly soccer scene.
Cavan, though, is the player in the spotlight right now. The hype is growing after he was handed the label of the most talented 14-year-old on the planet.
AdvertisementThe big break
Throw on any highlight compilation of the U.S. Under-15s national team and you'll spot Sullivan right away. It's almost impossible not to with his bleach-blonde hair. Once you get past that, though, you'll see the player rocking it can make magic with the ball at his feet.
Sullivan really rose to prominence during the Generation adidas Cup in 2023 where, as a 13-year-old, he looked dominant against some of the biggest clubs in the world at the U15 level. Despite being two years younger than most everyone on the field, Sullivan helped lead the charge in wins over Valencia, Arsenal and Real Madrid, putting himself onto the radar of every European club watching.
"Those that maybe haven’t learned yet, a young Cavan Sullivan has the talent and ability to become, I’ll just say a household name, and is doing really big things," Union head coach Jim Curtin said.
His exploits weren't limited just to club level, though. Sullivan also led the U.S. U15s to a trophy at the 2023 CONCACAF U-5 Championships, earning the Golden Ball for the best player at the tournament. That award came, once again, despite the fact that he was just 13 years old.
Big clubs started swirling, and the Union faced a fight to keep their homegrown star in-house.
(C)Getty ImagesHow it's going
For months, now, the Union have been trying to keep hold of Sullivan. A report from claimed the club had made him the “best homegrown offer ever extended”. However, it appears that the Union could lose out to the almighty City Football Group (CFG).
Widespread reports say that CFG is closing in on a deal to sign Sullivan, who would have an interesting roadmap going forward. Unable to move to Manchester City until he's 18, Sullivan would likely be placed with one of CFG's other clubs starting at age 16. The club most often linked is Lommel SK, who play in the second tier of Belgian football. Sullivan has a German passport through his mother, which allows him to join a club in the European Union at age 16, which means a big move across the Atlantic could come as soon as September 2025.
The deal is not yet official and the Union will still hold hope of keeping their brightest homegrown star. One pathway forward would be Sullivan staying on until he turns 18, which would allow the Union to collect some sort of compensation for the teenage star.
Regardless of what pathway he takes, Sullivan looks destined for the very, very top.
Biggest strengths
The first thing that sticks out about Sullivan is, obviously, his maturity. Both physically and mentally, it takes a lot of maturity to play up in the competitions that Sullivan has. It takes even more to thrive in such a way that the world's biggest clubs immediately take notice.
“He’s got his feet on the ground, all this extra hype about him," said Union II head coach Marlon LeBlanc. "It doesn’t go to his head and I think that’s the fantastic thing about him. It’s what also allows him to come into our environment and still be cool and be bold.”
Sullivan's maturity may be his biggest asset, but it's not necessarily what caught the eyes of those mega-clubs. His skills did, and he has plenty.
An attacking midfielder by trade, Sullivan's vision is already highly advanced for his age. He can make incredible passes that can change games, and he also can get goals for himself, too, with his strong left foot.
He had a pair of assists in the final of the CONCACAF U15 championship, a 4-2 win over Mexico. He'd already scored three goals of his own throughout the tournament, too, showing what kind of impact he can already make in an attack on the international level.
Mentally, though, Sullivan's got a bid of an edge to him, too. While facing off with Arsenal at the Generation adidas Cup, Sullivan inside the first minute. He promptly celebrated with a tea-drinking celebration against one of English soccer's top clubs. Sullivan was among the smallest players on the field that day, but he showed no fear, which is what makes him more than ready for whatever's in his path.