Manchester City are in talks to sign 14-year-old Philadelphia Union academy striker Cavan Sullivan, according to a report linking the reigning Premier League champions with a player described as “doing really big things” by his coach.
Sullivan, who is yet to sign a professional contract with Union, won the Golden Ball as the USMNT U15s won the Concacaf Championships in August 2023.
City have agreed the “main points” of a deal with the MLS club and plan to loan Sullivan to Belgian side Lommel SK, which is part of City Football Group’s portfolio, when he becomes 16, The Athletic has said.
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Union are said to be open to an agreement which would keep Sullivan with them until he is 18, and the outlet cited two sources as saying they have made him the “best-ever homegrown offer” to stay.
“[Sullivan] has the talent and ability to become, I’ll just say, a household name,” Union manager Jim Curtin said in 2023.
The Eastern Conference club’s exports include Leeds United midfielder Brenden Aaronson, while Sheffield United defender Auston Trusty came through their system before joining the Colorado Rapids.
🚨🔵 EXCL: Manchester City are closing in on deal to sign American wonderkid Cavan Sullivan, deal agreed!
2009 born talent set to join #MCFC in the next years from Ph. Union despite Real, BVB, Bayern interest.
City Academy, doing excellent job on talents.
Here we go, soon. 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/w91WKM01OH
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) March 17, 2024
MLS commissioner Don Garber acknowledged to The Athletic last week that retaining youth talent can be a challenge.
“That 14-year-old kid who’s playing in Philadelphia who is rumored to be one of the best young kids in the world – how do we ensure that kid wants to play in MLS, that we could afford to sign him, and he wants to play for one of our clubs?” asked Garber.
Cavan Sullivan transfer
The report likened Garber’s comparison to the move Christian Pulisic made when he left home in Pennsylvania as a teenager to join Borussia Dortmund’s academy, later joining Chelsea and current club AC Milan.
Sullivan will not be able to play for City until he turns 18 because he does not have an EU passport.
He is the younger brother of Union homegrown midfielder Quinn Sullivan, a 19-year-old attacking midfielder or winger who has been prolific for the US at U20 level.
Sullivan’s older brother won the Concacaf U20 Championship in 2022 and was an MLS Cup runner-up with Union in the same year.
