American soccer is no stranger to teenage prodigies. Perhaps the most famous one the sport has ever seen, Freddy Adu, came from the U.S., rising to prominence at just 14 years old. In the years since, Christian Pulisic, Gio Reyna, Tyler Adams, Weston McKennie and Yunus Musah all became stars in their teenage years before leading the charge to the 2022 World Cup.
All of those mentioned were very good players as teenagers, and were coveted by the biggest clubs in the world. They were never, though, touted as the best in the world within their age group. They were never called the can't-miss player of their birth year. They were never the very best in the world.
That's what Cavan Sullivan is being tipped as right now. The Philadelphia Union starlet is being hailed as "the best 14-year-old player in the world", and, this time around, it may not be an exaggeration. Sullivan is a legitimate superstar in the making, a player with all of the skill and ability to truly make it to the top levels of the sport.
That's why Manchester City have already pounced, moving quickly to sign Sullivan years before he can even hope of playing for them. It's also why plenty of other top European clubs tried before City even got their chance. Every elite team in the world has been watching a player that may prove to be the most coveted prospect the American game has ever seen.
But who is Sullivan and why have City made such a big move to sign him? GOAL takes a look...