Manchester City is set to boost their academy by signing
American wonderkid Cavan Sullivan. The 14 year old, who currently plays for the Philadelphia Union youth setup, has been attracting attention from big European clubs like
Real Madrid and Bayern Munich. Sullivan, who has represented the
United States at youth level, is in advanced talks about moving to the Etihad Stadium, says . He hasn't yet signed a professional contract with his current club. It looks like Sullivan's future will be in
England, with Pep Guardiola's treble winners expected to win the race for his signature. The report suggests that when Sullivan turns 16, he'll be loaned to Lommel SK in
Belgium, part City
Football Group Club. He won't be able to play for City until he's 18 because he doesn't have an EU passport. This young player is tipped as one of the hottest prospects in world football. Philadelphia Union wanted to keep the youngster, but it seems his future is in Europe. Sullivan's older brother, Quinn, plays for the Philadelphia first team and made his MLS debut in 2021, just two months after turning 17. After an impressive performance for Union's under-15 team at a tournament last April, where they beat big teams like Real Madrid and
Arsenal, City look to have won the race for Cavan, ahead of Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund. Jim Curtin, who coaches the Union first team, was full of praise for the talented teenager: "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. "Those are big names in the sport of soccer. And when you think about opportunity and the growth of the sport in this country, it's great to see young academies, not just ours but also other MLS academies doing really well against top clubs, not only in Europe but the world." Sullivan also impressed at the 2023 CONCACAF U-15 Championships. He helped his team win and got named the best player of the tournament. Marlon LeBlanc, who is the head coach of Union II, also said Sullivan is destined for big things. "Cavan is a fantastic young talent," LeBlanc said. "I like to tease him that I've never seen a kid get built up as much as I've seen Cavan. He's so down to earth, all of this extra hype that goes on about him, it doesn't get to his head and I think that's what is fantastic about him. It's what also allows him to come into our environment and still be great and still be bold."