Cavan Sullivan, 16, breaks Adu's MLS record — SkimNews
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- Cavan Sullivan scored in the 75th minute with a left-footed finish to clinch a 2-0 Philadelphia Union win over CF Montréal on Saturday, his third successive MLS match with a goal contribution.
- Sullivan reached 11 goal contributions for the year, the most ever by a 16-year-old in MLS, surpassing the mark Freddy Adu set in 2005, and became the youngest MLS player with a goal contribution in five straight matches.
- Philadelphia Union signed Sullivan to the largest homegrown contract in MLS history months before his debut, with an ESPN-reported agreement to transfer him to Manchester City when he turns 18.
- Sullivan made his Union debut at 14 years, 293 days, surpassing Adu as the youngest player to appear for a senior MLS team, and has represented the U.S. through the under-18 level.
- Across all 2026 competitions — MLS, Leagues Cup, and Concacaf Champions Cup — Sullivan has recorded seven goals and 11 assists in 27 appearances.
- Sullivan celebrated the record by mimicking LeBron James' chalk toss, a nod to the new Philadelphia arrival.
- Multiple outlets are calling for Sullivan to earn a place in Mauricio Pochettino's U.S. men's national team roster.
Why it matters: Sullivan is already on a pre-arranged pipeline to Manchester City at 18, the kind of structural infrastructure that Adu never had two decades ago, meaning the comparison may understate how far ahead Sullivan already is in his development track. Philadelphia locked him down via the largest homegrown deal in MLS history, betting that a player who broke Adu's records at 14 and now at 16 will justify the eventual Premier League transfer.
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