What there is to know
- The Philadelphia Union officially announced that they have signed 14-year-old academy prospect Cavan Sullivan to a contract that will eventually lead him to Manchester City.
- The long-rumored deal – believed to be the richest local signing in Major League Soccer history, although no details have been disclosed – allows the Union to continue to develop Sullivan and benefit in the short term from his capabilities, before taking advantage of them when he probably goes abroad. to the Premier League.
- “I tend not to even listen to what they call me or what they say about me. That’s really how I feel about myself,” Sullivan said.
Cavan Sullivan ignores words like prodigy, phenomenon or even child prodigy, all names given to him at only 14 years old.
But there’s no doubt that Sullivan is talented. On Thursday, the Philadelphia Union officially announced that they had signed their academy prospect to a contract that would eventually take him to Manchester City.
“I tend not to even listen to what they call me or what they say about me. That’s really how I feel about myself,” Sullivan said. “I don’t really listen to anyone, whether it’s good or bad. So it doesn’t affect me at all. »
The long-rumored deal – believed to be the richest local signing in Major League Soccer history, although no details have been disclosed – allows the Union to continue to develop Sullivan and benefit in the short term from his capabilities, before taking advantage of them when he probably goes abroad. to the Premier League. It also allows him to stay at home for a few more years.
Sullivan is considered one of the best young American players. In a match last April between the U.S. under-15 team and England in Spain, he scored both goals in a 2-2 draw the Americans won on penalties.
He was named the best player of the CONCACAF Under-15 Championships. He had two assists in the 4-2 victory over Mexico in the final.
Union coach Jim Curtin recently called Sullivan “a special talent, the best talent not only in this country but in the world.”
Sullivan has already made his professional debut, coming off the bench for Union’s MLS NEXT team last month and getting an assist on the game-winning goal. He made two appearances for the team, a step below the Union senior team.
The teenager is hoping to make his senior debut for Union this year. If he does, he will join his brother, Quinn, another academy product who has played for the team since 2021.
Sullivan (14 years, 224 days) is the fifth youngest player to sign a first-team contract in MLS history. If he plays for the Union before July 29, he will become the youngest player to ever appear in a match. Freddy Adu was 14 years and 306 days old when he made his debut for DC United in 2004.
“I think Jim Curtin was really instrumental in Cavan’s arrival, if I’m completely honest,” said his father, Brendan Sullivan. “He called us, he contacted us and he said, ‘Look, I think he can play for me right away. With a little coaching, we think he’s ready and we’re ready to take on that.
Sullivan, a Philadelphia native, is the youngest of four brothers. Quinn, 20, is the oldest. Brendan Sullivan played professionally in the A-League, which eventually became the USL First Division, a tier below MLS. His mother, Heike, played at Penn. Grandpa Larry coached at Villanova from 1991-2007.
Sullivan said he began attracting attention from clubs when he was just 10 years old.
“I think that’s really when I thought, ‘This is happening.’ It didn’t feel real, but it definitely sparked something in my mind where I was like, ‘I can do this,'” Sullivan said.
Sullivan cannot play for Manchester City until he is 18. But he holds a German passport which could allow him to move to Europe and play for City-affiliated teams – such as Girona in Spain or Palermo in Italy – at the age of 16.
Due to the collaborative transfer agreement with Manchester City, Sullivan’s deal is unusual. This indicates that the Premier League club is confident that the Union can develop an elite player.
Sullivan doesn’t look too far ahead. In many ways he is a typical teenager, albeit a very gifted one. He jokes: “I’m a pretty boring kid, to be honest. »
“I mean, you can see it. He’s a pretty balanced kid,” his mother said. “He really does it on his own. I’m sure we’re helping him keep his feet on the ground, but I think he’s already punished, and I think he should get a lot of credit. for that.”
News Source : www.nbcphiladelphia.com
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