Analysis GP Scout Scout Reports

Cavan Sullivan scout report: the American talent leading the Union in assists at 16

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Cavan Sullivan

Right winger / right midfielder

Mevki	Right winger / right midfielder
Kulüp	Philadelphia Union
Uyruk	USA
Yaş	16
Doğum	28.09.2009
Boy	1.70 m
Ayak	Left
Piyasa Değeri	EUR 4.7M (FotMob estimate)
Sözleşme	December 2028
Rol	Left-footed creator cutting in from the right

Of all the players I follow on the CONCACAF desk, Cavan Sullivan’s file was opened the earliest. When he debuted in MLS in July 2024 at 14 years and 293 days, he became the youngest player in the history of the major North American professional leagues, beating Freddy Adu’s record by thirteen days. The question ever since has been the same: would the early start turn into real output? The 2026 season gives the first clear answer. This report was written three days before his 17th birthday.

72/100

GP SCOREDouble-digit goal involvements in an MLS season at 16 is exceptional output for the age group; physical development is incomplete, however, and there is no top-level European data.

Left-footed; a profile that cuts in from the right channel to create a shot or a reverse-angle pass with his left. FotMob’s shot split shows the vast majority of his attempts with the left foot. His first touch in tight spaces is clean and he can shield the ball under pressure through body orientation. The real differentiator is the final ball: per MLSsoccer.com’s September 2026 data he leads the Union in assists and ranks second in the squad for key passes. On 9 September he provided three assists in a 5-0 win over FC Cincinnati. Set-piece delivery is also part of his role.

He plays in Philadelphia Union’s high-press structure, which demands immediate counter-pressure from wide players after losing the ball, and MLSsoccer.com’s assessment notes that Sullivan meets that defensive load. Interim head coach Ryan Richter, in charge since Bradley Carnell’s departure in May 2026, has coached him since the academy, and that continuity has shown in the clarity of his role. His most frequent off-ball movement is entering the right half-space to open the corridor for the overlapping full-back. Goal involvements in six consecutive matches show his positioning pattern is repeatable.

Wikipedia lists him at 1.70 m; as he is still growing, height and body data vary between sources. In contact play he is still behind adult opponents; he solves it by reading contact early and releasing the ball quickly. He has logged 1,452 league minutes in 2026 (FotMob); load management for a 16-year-old is one of the club’s most sensitive issues. A red card during the season also puts the discipline column on the watch list.

Period	Club / Competition	Data
2024-2025	Philadelphia Union II — MLS Next Pro	32 apps, 10 goals
2024-2025	Philadelphia Union — MLS	19 apps, 0 goals
2026 (early September)	Philadelphia Union — MLS	4 goals, 10 assists (MLSsoccer.com)
2026	Concacaf Champions Cup + Leagues Cup	3 goals, 4 assists
2026	MLS — FotMob season page	24 apps, 17 starts, 1,452 min, xG 5.08, xA 3.94
2023-	USA U15 / U17 / U18	U15: 9 apps 5 goals; U17: 12 apps 4 goals; U18: 3 apps

2026 Goal Involvements

İstatistik	Değer	Persentil
MLS 2026 goals	4	—
MLS 2026 assists	10	—
Cup goals	3	—
Cup assists	4	—

Source: MLSsoccer.com (September 2026). The FotMob season page classifies goals/assists differently (7 goals, 5 assists); the table uses the league's official source.

Strengths and Weaknesses

Strengths	Weaknesses
Final ball: the team’s assist leader at 16	Physical development incomplete; behind adults in contact
Cutting in from the right onto his left foot, generating shots	One red card this season — discipline item
Fits a high-press system and contributes defensively	No top-level European data yet
Goal involvements in continental cups too (3 goals, 4 assists)	Limited right-foot use; most shots with the left

Development Areas

First, upper-body strength. It is a natural process at his age, but contact will intensify at the next career step, so duel capacity needs to be added alongside his early-release solution.

Second, the weaker foot. Once full-backs start shutting off his left, the option of going down the line on his right will make him less predictable.

Third, load management and discipline. A high-volume season at 16 and a red card are two separate data points to monitor.

Career Projection

In 2026 he surpassed Freddy Adu’s goal-involvement record for a 16-year-old and became the first MLS teenager with goal involvements in five consecutive matches. He finished high school in May 2026. The decisive date on his career calendar is his 18th birthday in September 2027: a clause written into his 2024 contract provides for a move to Manchester City at that age. The roughly one year until then is the main window for measuring whether his MLS output is sustainable.

Contract Status

In May 2024 he signed the largest homegrown contract in MLS history; ABC News and other open sources reported that the deal includes a clause providing for a transfer to Manchester City once he turns 18, with a fee of up to USD 5 million discussed for that move, and a sell-on share for the Union. His contract with Philadelphia Union is recorded until December 2028.

GP VERDICTCLOSE WATCH

Double-digit assists in an MLS season at 16 plus goal involvements in continental cups show exceptional and repeatable output for the age group.

If minutes volume holds for the rest of the season and the discipline column stays clean, the rating will move up a band.

Sources and Data Note

Cem Yıldırım — Gegen Pres CONCACAF desk (USA, Mexico, Canada and Central America).

GEGEN SCORE is an editorial assessment score combining technical, tactical, mental, physical, potential and risk components; it is a comparison tool, not a transfer decision in itself. Profile data has been verified against independent open sources. Last updated: 25 September 2026.

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