Manchester City’s decision to tie down American teenager Cavan Sullivan two years before he can even move to England is starting to look less like a punt and more like a piece of transfer business other Premier League clubs will envy.
The winger, now 16, was only 14 when City agreed a deal that will see him arrive at the Etihad once he turns 18. He remains at boyhood club Philadelphia Union in the meantime, continuing his development on home soil — and doing so in spectacular fashion.
A remarkable run of form for the youngster
According to a report by FootballTransfers, Sullivan has been “one of the best players in MLS” over the past month, contributing six goals and five assists in eight matches since 10 August.
The teenager was named man of the match in Philadelphia’s 5-0 win over San Diego FC at the weekend, scoring twice — including a stylish backheeled finish — as the Union continued their resurgence under interim head coach Ryan Richter.
Richter, who previously worked with Sullivan in the Union’s academy, has made the youngster an ever-present in his side since taking interim charge, in stark contrast to predecessor Bradley Carnell, who was reluctant to trust him with regular starts despite flashes of quality from the bench.
That faith has been repaid handsomely, with Sullivan now regarded as one of the most exciting young talents in American soccer, having made his senior debut back in 2024 and picked up minutes during the Union’s Supporters’ Shield-winning campaign last year.
Data analytics firm SciSports, which works in partnership with FootballTransfers, has been tracking his progress closely and rates him among the leading wide players in the league this season, saying the 16-year-old has enjoyed “rapid development” in recent months.
He is said to sit fifth among teenage right-wingers worldwide classed as attacking “wide playmakers” — rarefied company for a player who cannot yet legally sign a professional contract with his eventual club.
Comparisons to Bernardo Silva — and a Word of Caution
Some observers have likened Sullivan’s style and temperament to former City winger Bernardo Silva, pointing to a similar willingness to compete physically for a player of his size. It is a football brain that has kept him level-headed despite being one of the most talked-about prospects to emerge from the United States in years.
Those who have worked with him say he consistently deflects individual praise back onto his team, even as his profile grows.
There is, of course, a note of caution attached to any 16-year-old being hyped as a future Premier League star. Pre-agreeing deals with teenagers carries obvious risk, given that development between 16 and 18 rarely follows a straight line — a lesson other Premier League clubs have learned the hard way with past wonderkid signings.
Sullivan will also need to add physicality to his game before he is ready for the rigours of English football, though he still has two years to do so.
Should his current trajectory hold, City may find that a deal struck when Sullivan was just 14 turns out to be one of the shrewdest pieces of business done by any Premier League club in recent years.
