U.S. Men’s National Team starlet Cavan Sullivan, who recently turned 17, is set to join Premier League giants Manchester City once he turns 18, as per an agreement between Enzo Maresca’s side and the Philadelphia Union.
Having already previously trained with City, the club is clearly keeping very close tabs on the youngster, who recently became the USMNT’s youngest ever goalscorer in a friendly against Mexico, beating Mathis Albert’s benchmark set just days earlier against Chile.
Currently joint second in Major League Soccer in assists this season with 14 - tied with Rodrigo De Paul, Cristian Espinoza, and Albert Rusnák - Sullivan’s performances, particularly since this summer’s FIFA World Cup, have been eye-catching to put it mildly.
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However, Sullivan’s move to City could soon take on a whole new look. This follows an independent commission finding the club guilty on 114 of 115 charges put forward by the Premier League between 2009 and 2018, alleging breaches of financial rules as well as failing to cooperate with the investigation.
While it remains unclear what punishment the club could face if its appeal fails - with City steadfast in its belief that the club is innocent and has the proof to back up its stance - the potential for points deductions, fines, transfer bans, or even relegation has been rumored.
With Sullivan mere months away from a move to the Etihad, USMNT legend Tim Howard was recently asked on the ‘Unfiltered Soccer’ podcast what advice he would give to the youngster given the ongoing controversy.
“I wouldn't advise Cavan and his family any differently,” he said. “Look, if Man City stay afloat and are the Man City that we know, whether they're in the Premier League or the Championship, bear in mind they've bought a lot of players given their financial situation; they also know how to produce players.
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“They know how to get the best out of players…their players don't fail a lot. Oscar Bobb went to Fulham. Cole Palmer went to Chelsea. Their players don't fail. So he's not going to fail there because there's uncertainty.
“If he gets more playing time because they're in the Championship, great for him. If they're in the Premier League and they want to play him, great. If they were gonna bring him over and they were going to loan him out to another European club, great. Their plan for him, he's okay. His development will not get hampered in any way, shape, or form.”
Theoretically, given that the City Group also owns Girona FC (La Liga), Palermo FC (Serie B), and ESTAC Troyes (Ligue 2), even if they felt he could benefit from time elsewhere in Europe for one reason or another, there are plenty of solid landing spots for the youngster to continue his rapid development in the coming years.
In the meantime, Sullivan’s focus will remain on the Union, which remains in the fight for an MLS Cup Playoff berth, sitting sixth in the Eastern Conference with four regular season games remaining.