Cavan Sullivan Makes 2025 Debut: How Much Will He Feature for Union This Season? | OneFootball

Cavan Sullivan can’t drive yet, but the American teenage superstar has already entered his second MLS season.

Signed to a pre–transfer with English Premier League club Manchester City, the 15-year-old made his 2025 season debut on Saturday night as Philadelphia Union trounced FC Cincinnati 4-1 in their home opener.

While Sullivan couldn’t impact the game much as an 82nd–minute sub, it could foreshadow a big season for USMNT prospect.

The eight minutes nearly doubled his first division experience. In 2024, the 2009-born midfielder only played 10 minutes across three appearances.

He had seven touches and completed four passes while helping the Union see out their dominance of one of the top MLS teams over the last few years.

The appearance also marked his first under new Union head coach Bradley Carnell, now leading the young starlet’s first team hopes after experienced developmental coach Jim Curtin left the club after 10 years.

“Cavan [Sullivan] did a good job, just harassing down the left hand side and doing his bit,” Carnell said. “I'm just glad and grateful we could get him a few minutes out there, because he's training really well, and we have to bring him along in the right ways.”

Despite getting first-team minutes, much of Sullivan’s year will likely be spent with Union 2 in MLS Next Pro, the MLS developmental league, in which players can be called up for minutes on the first team.

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The MLS Next Pro season begins on Mar. 9 with Union 2 set to face New England Revolution II. In 2024, Sullivan made 18 appearances in that tier, scoring five goals and four assists in 1,421 regular season minutes.

“I'm prepared and brave enough to play him, and he's brave enough [to play MLS matches] as well,” added Carnell. “He's got the edge and he’s got the charisma about getting some minutes. I'm happy to get him out there tonight.”

Union off to tremendous start

Tai Baribo is already up to five MLS goals in just two matches this season / Caean Couto-Imagn Images

As much as excitement surrounds Sullivan’s rise, the Union have also posted a strong start, scoring eight goals in two matches, the Cincinnati victory topping their 4–2 win over Orlando City SC.

Israeli international Tai Baribo had a natural hat–trick, scoring all three within 52 minutes to give the Union a 3-0 lead and bring him to five goals on the season. Club-record signing Bruno Damiani, who the Union bought for a reported $3.4 million, also scored as he made his debut.

“Our offensive weapons come through our defensive stability and our defensive positioning. We scored a lot of goals already in transition, and we've scored some great philosophy goals, in my eyes,” Carnell said, mentioning the Union’s “Doop” goal song, which was much more pleasant to be on the scoring side than the opposition.

Under Curtin, the Union established a possession-focused style that often lacked actual difference-makers in the attacking spaces. Things are different in the early days for Carnell, with longtime stars Kai Wagner and Daniel Gazdag already hitting form.

Quinn Sullivan (20), the elder brother to Cavan, also continued his strong play to start the year, completing five dribbles and winning 10 duels down the right wing before sending in the cross for Damiani’s first goal with the club.

Throughout the match, the Union showed how they could shut down some of the league's best attacking talents. Neither 2024 MLS MVP candidate Evander nor FC Cincinnati club-record signing Kévin Denkey were able to score.

While 180 minutes isn’t much out of a 34-match regular season, it’s been a near dream start for the Union in their post-Curtin era, and one they’ll hope can continue with the Sullivans, Baribo, Damiani and other key players through the next several months.

“The players are embracing the competition, and everybody will win at the end of the day,” Carnell said. “If we carry on pushing each other, if we carry on training the way that we do, everybody will be victorious... this is part of the process, as part of the journey.”