City-bound Sullivan becomes youngest US men's national team goalscorer at 17

Cavan Sullivan etched his name into US men’s national team history on Wednesday, becoming the youngest goalscorer in the programme’s history just five days after his 17th birthday, netting in a 3-0 victory over Mexico.

The Philadelphia Union midfielder, who has a pre-agreed deal to join Manchester City upon turning 18, is enjoying a remarkable run of form. Since the MLS summer break, only Lionel Messi can match his 13 goal involvements in the league — a statistic that underlines why City have been monitoring him closely for several years.

“These are the moments you dream of when you’re a three, four, five or six-year-old,” Sullivan said after the game. “I manifested this moment. Not just these past couple of hours when I found out I was starting, but my whole life.”

The goal was Sullivan’s first for Mauricio Pochettino’s side in two appearances, and it arrived alongside yet another record. He had already broken Freddie Adu’s mark to become the youngest MLS debutant in history at the age of 14, and his trajectory has not slowed since.

His path to the Etihad did briefly attract unwanted attention when a quote attributed to one of his representatives appeared to cast doubt on the move following Manchester City’s guilty verdict on serious Premier League rule breaches. That quote was subsequently debunked as fake, with sources close to the player confirming no change in plans and Sullivan still expected to complete the transfer.

City’s situation remains uncertain after an independent panel found the club guilty of breaches that could result in points deductions or, in the most severe outcome, expulsion from the Premier League. Despite that backdrop, Sullivan’s impending arrival is understood to be unaffected.

For now, Sullivan has both MLS and further international fixtures ahead of him before any move is finalised, and his latest milestone suggests his development is tracking precisely as City had hoped.