Man City prospect Cavan Sullivan goes 61 minutes in first MLS start | OneFootball

Manchester City-bound Cavan Sullivan made his first MLS start on Saturday night in the Philadelphia Union’s intriguing clash at Nashville SC, playing 61 minutes and departing with the match at Geodis Park still scoreless.

The 15-year-old Sullivan has now played 161 MLS minutes so far across seven appearances in his first full season in the top flight of the United States and Canada.

His start came in one of the biggest matches of the regular season for Philadelphia, which entered the matchday leading the Eastern Conference, only two points above third-place Nashville.

Best Union product yet?

The younger brother of Union midfielder and U.S. men’s national team contributor Quinn Sullivan, Cavan Sullivan has been hyped for a few years as the best-ever product of a Union youth academy that has already produced several productive European careers.

Brothers Brenden and Paxten Aaronson are probably the most known, currently plying their trades at Leeds United and Eintracht Frankfurt, respectively. There’s also Celtic center back Auston Trusty and Toulouse center back Mark McKenzie.

In May of 2025 at age 14, Sullivan signed an agreement worth a reported $5 million that will see him move to Manchester City once he turns 18, while in the interim playing at the Union on loan. Sullivan will turn 18 on September 28, 2027.

Most often used as a central attacking midfielder or right winger, Sullivan has played 1,632 minutes in the third-tier MLS Next Pro for Philadelphia Union II across two seasons, scoring seven goals and assisting five more in 26 appearances.

But the spring cash trade of Hungary international Daniel Gazdag to Columbus has helped open the way for more minutes or Sullivan. He made his longest appearance in MLS a week ago, playing the final 45 minutes of a 1-0 loss at the Columbus Crew.