In December, in the Arizona desert, the best young players in the United States gathered to compete in MLS Next Fest, an end-of-year tournament for all MLS academies.
The matches were lively and packed with scouts, agents and other players, but at last year’s event, one particular pitch always attracted many more spectators with their phones out, trying to capture moments of brilliance .
This field was where 14-year-old Cavan Sullivan showed off his skills for the Philadelphia Union.
By the time Sullivan turns 18, he could be lining up in City blue.
As Athleticism reported on Wednesday that Premier League giants Manchester City have agreed terms on a transfer for the left-footed attacking midfielder. Only the final compensation remains to be paid in full.
According to sources briefed on the deal – who, like all those cited in this article, asked to remain anonymous because they did not have permission to speak – City would pay approximately $2.1 million up front (1, £7million) for Sullivan, who is yet to sign a professional contract. If all bonuses are triggered, the fee could be closer to $5 million. Philadelphia will also retain a hefty resale clause.
Sullivan may have been a sensation in Arizona, but he first caught the attention of City in Spain last April, when he scored twice for the United States Under-15s against England. Sam Fagbemi, City’s academy recruitment manager, was on hand for the match at San Pedro del Pinatar, where Sullivan’s left foot and ball control wowed scouts, accompanied by a confident flair and ‘a ruthlessness.
Cavan Sullivan’s touches against the England national team in his US national team debut! Two goals in a 2-2 match that they won on penalties! @sullivan_cavan pic.twitter.com/we8caT9qlu
– Ronan Sullivan (@RonanSullivan12) April 27, 2023
Almost a year on, Sullivan is set to sign for the Premier League and European champions, with a path to the Etihad Stadium planned as far away as possible at present.
Part of the deal between City and Union sees Sullivan remain in the United States until he turns 18, the earliest possible date for a Premier League club to sign foreign talent. January 2028 is the earliest transfer window in which Sullivan could make the move.
If he outgrows MLS even at this early stage – another sign of the importance City and Union place on him – the deal allows him to move to Girona in Spain or Palermo in Italy, two City Football Group (CFG) clubs, at the age of 16. or 17 years old, because he has a German passport and can therefore train and play for a European club.
Sullivan had already been training with Bundesliga club Borussia Dortmund since the age of 12, but a rule change put an end to that.
City sources warn against over-hyping Sullivan, not only because of his age, but because of other American talents who have been touted as the next big thing in world soccer, only to then fail to live up to that bill. Still, they believe he could be one of the top talents in the sport.
This is why they took the somewhat unusual decision – compared to their activity in recent years – to recruit a foreign actor.
And while City’s academy mantra is that the best learn from the best, given the amount of talent coming through the ranks these days, they’ve never had any concerns that Sullivan wouldn’t make it not fit into the training framework that adolescents are ready to understand. Pep Guardiola’s ideas on the first day of training with the first team.
“He will be a first-team MLS player at 15,” said a City source, confident that Sullivan will gain plenty of top-level experience before arriving in Manchester. Sources at the Union believe he will make his first-team debut this season. He will be 15 in September.
Last weekend, Sullivan made his debut for Philadelphia’s second team, providing the assist.
The touch of a decisive pass, the finesse finish 📷
Sullivan connects with Olivas to give us a 2-1 lead late!#BAPTISM | @MLSNEXTPRO pic.twitter.com/1Ya3FUNFqU
– Philadelphia Union II (@PhilaUnionII) March 24, 2024
During negotiations over his future, Philly had offered Sullivan a sizeable professional contract, but it was initially not enough to keep him, given interest from Dortmund, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and City. He agreed a deal with City at the age of 18 and the initial plan was for Sullivan to join Lommel SK at 16 before heading to Manchester.
However, Philadelphia believes its development is much better served with them than in the Belgian second division. After further rounds of talks, all parties finally agreed. With the development plan reached and the transfer pre-arranged to City himself when he turned 18, Sullivan agreed to the biggest local deal in MLS history. This will be his first professional contract.
In MLS, academy players are signed to “local” contracts – essentially professional contracts which, in the salary-capped league, generally do not count towards the budget or senior roster.
“If he joined Lommel,” adds the source, taking just one CFG club as an example, “he would be in the first team at 16.”
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A key point of the negotiations, aside from the compensation owed to Philly, was that the two clubs would continue to work together to ensure Sullivan fulfills his potential. Although it was a no-brainer for City, Philly never took the money and ran.
In sometimes contentious discussions, Union and City have compared Sullivan to Kendry Paez, the Ecuadorian midfielder who signed with Chelsea at age 15 for around $20 million, in terms of position in the Thu. Andrey Santos, another Chelsea prospect, who signed from Vasco da Gama for around $22.7 million, is seen by City as another example of a top non-European youngster that clubs Premier League players still want to recruit. clubs, hence higher fees.
The Union was ready to fight for its precious asset. Additionally, they wanted to collaborate with City to continue to develop Sullivan so that he is in the best possible place when he one day arrives in England. The Union would have had little incentive to continue Sullivan’s development over the next few years until he could leave for Europe at age 16 if no agreement had been reached beyond compensation for training, and she would have had a bitter taste that could have led her to raise the issue. FIFA on the protection of minors.
City and Philadelphia have finally found common ground. And as negotiations progressed this month, he continued his rise through the Union ranks. Sullivan was elevated to the Union’s second team for the MLS preseason this winter and was among the best players on the field in a friendly against USL Championship team Tampa Bay Rowdies. The USL Championship is the second professional division in America.
“He was running through grown men three times his size in Tampa,” a source said. “It’s real. He’s not fake tough. He’s fearless.
He is described as sometimes having an overconfident air around him, given the hype, but sources who have worked with him insist his mentality is “elite”.
Sullivan has three older brothers: Quinn, 20, who is having a breakout season in the Union first team, and twins Ronan and Declan, 16. Their father, Brendan, was an assistant men’s soccer coach at Villanova University under their grandfather, Larry.
Those who know the family say his brothers and parents keep him grounded and won’t let his head get too big.
A senior U.S. national team official called Cavan Sullivan a “diamond.”
Earlier in the preseason, after suffering a minor injury while with the second team, Sullivan was ordered to rest completely and return fully healed in two weeks. Although he was patient enough not to aggravate the injury, it got to the stage where he had to be involved and so, despite the howling winds and pouring rain, he stayed at the side of the field and recovered all the balloons that had escaped. training exercises.
A staff member reminded him that he didn’t have to do this, especially given the weather, but that he was determined to help.
Although he always played well ahead of his age group (he was called up to the Union under-17s a few months after turning 14), he never returned to his age group. previous age thinking he was too good to be there.
It’s the mentality that those who know Sullivan best love, and one of the reasons they, like City, are so confident he can go all the way to the top.
It’s also why City have made a relatively rare foray into the world of overseas recruitment. About ten years ago, as the club began to expand the CFG empire, the plan was to strengthen its academy by spending money to recruit the best young players from around the world, but over the course of five years Subsequently, this has evolved towards a more domestic focus, partly due to restrictions placed on the signing of European players after Brexit.
When City won the FA Youth Cup in 2020, they did so with 10 English players, including seven from Manchester and the surrounding areas.
City’s vast recruitment operation is essentially split into two parts, with Trevor Todd running the ‘Junior Academy’ to recruit players up to the age of 12, and Fagbemi, who spotted Sullivan in Spain, responsible for teenage signatures.
Despite a period of change within City’s academy following the departure of three senior officials, Fabgemi, new manager Thomas Krucken and key recruitment figures Carl Walker and Alan Watson, continue to attract highly regarded talent including Finlay Gorman, 15, of Leeds United and Timeo Whisker of Cardiff City. Athleticism reported on Wednesday that City were also closing in on England youth international Christian McFarlane, who plays for New York City FC club CFG.
Foreign signings have been rare but those they have signed have already shown their quality in the Premier League: Belgian Romeo Lavia was sold to Southampton in 2022 before joining Chelsea for £53 million in 2023. Norwegian Oscar Bobb scored a last-minute winner for City at Newcastle United in January and recently signed a long-term contract at the Etihad.
City have seen enough in Sullivan to be optimistic that he also meets the required standards. The only thing that is certain is that there will now be even more eyes.
(Top photo: Philadelphia Union)