Manchester City-bound Cavan Sullivan is dominating MLS, but what will he do when the season ends?
American soccer fans are beginning to become familiar with Cavan Sullivan's name, and it's only a matter of time before international fans are doing the same. After his first MLS brace last night extended his season goal tally to six, the 16-year-old talent is proving why Manchester City was right to approach him early.
Due to labor laws in England, Sullivan is not eligible to play for City until his 18th birthday late next September. However, this does not mean he can't start planning his move to Europe. FIFA regulations restrict international transfers, but Sullivan has a German passport through his mother, which allows him to play in mainland Europe. The MLS season ends just before the European transfer window opens in January, setting up a perfect timeline for Sullivan to move to a higher level of competition if he chooses.
What are Sullivan's most realistic options?
Sullivan signed a pre-agreement in 2024 to join English giants Manchester City, but cannot play there until he turns 18 years old. And while he is signed to City, that does not rule out a loan agreement being completed during the January window.
Man City is the flagship club of City Football Group, but they have other European clubs in their portfolio that could use a talent like Sullivan. The most well-known is Girona in Spain, a once-ascending club that has fallen to the second division of La Liga. Sullivan would likely see a good amount of playing time, but is La Liga 2 a step up from MLS? I'm not convinced.
Another option for Sullivan in the CFG portfolio is Troyes in France's top division, a club in need of attacking support, having scored just four goals through its first four matches. A move to Ligue 1 could set Sullivan up for success, as evidenced by Folarin Balogun's career resurgence at Monaco last year and Gio Reyna's hot start at Strasbourg this season.
One final option for Sullivan is to simply stay in MLS. Next spring, the league will have a "sprint season" that starts in February and ends in July before the league transitions to match the European season calendar. The sprint season would allow Sullivan to continue playing at home alongside his brother, Quinn, in a league constantly adding more talent while allowing him a natural offseason in the summer before he can officially join Manchester City next fall.
There are still many games to be played between now and when the transfer window opens. But if Sullivan's form stays strong, he and City must consider an earlier move to Europe. MLS is improving in quality but is still behind the top leagues abroad. A winter move would serve as a needed stepping stone for Sullivan, bridging his career from MLS to the Premier League. Out of the above options, Troyes is the most logical choice.
