Cavan Sullivan, 16, of the Philadelphia Union has received his first USMNT call-up and is expected to debut today or during the international window. He has 12 MLS assists this season, a teenage league record; he also scored six goals in 11 matches since mid-July.
Union sporting director Jon Scheer, who has watched Sullivan since he was eight, called him the most dominant youth player he has seen and said he believes Sullivan has the highest ceiling of any U.S. player. The article recalls earlier hype that disappointed fans, citing Freddy Adu, dubbed “the next Pele” at 14; Scheer acknowledged he may be biased because he works with Sullivan.
Manchester City has kept in contact about Sullivan’s development, but he remains a Philadelphia Union player and City is playing down its role for now. Sullivan cannot join City until turning 18 next September and is not expected to move to Manchester until January 2028. The article says a subsequent loan would not necessarily rule out a future first-team path.
