Union homegrown Cavan Sullivan set to train with Manchester City this week
Sullivan, 15, who will already join the English Premier League giant officially upon turning 18, had a big week for the Union II, the club's MLS Next Pro team.
Union phenom Cavan Sullivan might be heading off to Manchester a bit earlier than expected.
According to a report Monday morning from Fabrizio Romano, Sullivan is heading to England this week to participate in an early training camp with Manchester City, the team with which Union brokered a $5 million transfer deal in 2023 that, within it, saw Sullivan earn the largest-ever contract for a Major League Soccer homegrown player.
Sullivan, 15, who will already join the English Premier League giants officially upon turning 18, is coming off a week in which he certainly would’ve raised the eyebrows of his future employer and earned himself a live look. He scored twice and hit a penalty in extra time that secured an MLS Next Pro win for the Union’s second team, Union II, in a win over Chattanooga FC on July 13.
A Union spokesperson said that the team had no official comment to make on Sullivan’s travel plans. The club was also off Monday, a rest day coming off Saturday night’s 1-1 draw in Houston. Sullivan did travel for the game but was one of three substitutes not used.
A source with knowledge of the matter told The Inquirer that Sullivan’s stint will find him training with Manchester City’s under-23 team for around two weeks and will only miss being available for Saturday’s home game against Colorado (7:30 p.m., Apple TV).
Sullivan has appeared in eight matches for the Union this season, getting 61 minutes in the club’s 1-0 loss to Nashville on July 5.
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That brings Sullivan to a total of 11 matches and counting where he’s seen action for the Union’s first team since becoming the youngest athlete to take the field in a professional sport in North America at just 14 years, 296 days old in the Union’s win over New England on July 17, 2024.
The Union host Colorado at Subaru Park on Saturday (7:30 p.m., Apple TV). Signs don’t suggest a reprieve, with this the week of Major League Soccer’s annual All-Star Game.
Wagner added to MLS All-Star roster
Kai Wagner will take part in his third MLS All-Star celebration after head coach Nico Estevez announced the left back will replace Portland Timbers defender David Da Costa on the roster. The MLS All-Stars will take on the best from Mexico’s Liga MX.
He joins teammates in forward Tai Baribo and defender Jakob Glesnes for the game inside the Q2 Stadium in Austin, Texas, on Wednesday (9 p.m., Apple TV).
Wagner was named an All-Star during the 2021 and 2022 seasons and was announced after participating in his 22nd game for the team this season, Saturday game in Houston.
He’s been instrumental in guiding the Union to the league’s best record before the team took a slight dip that now finds it tied for second in points alongside Nashville in MLS’s Eastern Conference. The 6-foot, 176-pound German defender has a goal and eight assists this season. He also holds the club record for assists with 60.
He is the 11th Union player to earn an All-Star nod and just the third to have repeat appearances alongside Glesnes (twice) and goalkeeper Andre Blake (four).
Inquirer reporter Jonathan Tannenwald contributed to this report.
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