Manchester City chaos opens the door: Barcelona and Real Madrid eye the American gem
Who is he?
The future of American teenager Cavan Sullivan has been thrown into doubt. Manchester City struck a preliminary agreement with the Philadelphia Union midfielder to bring him in during 2028, but with Real Madrid, Barcelona and a host of major European clubs circling, that deal now looks anything but certain.
Spanish newspaper "Sport" report that the preliminary agreement between Sullivan and the City Football Group has not been finalised. The reason lies in the fallout from the English club's legal case over the 115 charges against them and the sanctions that could follow, which has reopened the door to speculation over the player's future.
City had moved early to beat the giants to his signature, getting ahead of Real Madrid, Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain, all of whom tracked his progress closely. The preliminary agreement would see him join in 2028, once his Philadelphia Union contract expires and he reaches the legal age to move to Europe.
Dan Segal, the player's agent, addressed his client's future by praising City while refusing to rule out changes to the arrangement. "Manchester City is one of the biggest clubs in the world, and what they have built cannot be erased from history," he said. "It is true there is a prior agreement with them regarding Sullivan, but you never know what might happen, and we hope things will be resolved in the best possible way."
Approaching his 17th birthday, Sullivan is drawing growing interest on the back of his rapid rise at Philadelphia Union. His displays have marked him out as one of the brightest young talents in American football, and they caught the eye of United States coach Mauricio Pochettino. He watched him closely before handing him a chance with the senior side, and Sullivan made his international debut against Peru last Saturday, playing 62 minutes.
The numbers this season tell the story. Sullivan has scored 7 goals and provided 5 assists, including 6 goals and 4 decisive passes across August and September. He also made the team of the week in each of the last three rounds, proof of just how quickly he is developing for his age.
Nothing is settled. Sullivan remains firmly in the sights of Real Madrid and Barcelona, who are monitoring his progress, while City wait on clarity over their legal case. Its outcome could reshape their plans, the preliminary agreement with the American talent included.
