Comparisons with one of Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City superstars may feel like creating unrealistic expectations for a rising star with a potentially big future at the Premier League champions.
But, in the case of this twinkle-toed, uber-techy teenager, the similarities between himself and Bernardo Silva could yet make Cavan Sullivan one of the legacies of the Txiki Begiristain era at the Etihad Stadium.
The 14-year-old becomes the youngest player to debut in MLS history.
Manchester City’s long-serving director of football will leave Manchester City in 2025, with Sporting Lisbon chief Hugo Viana set to take Begiristain’s place.
And Begiristain is keen to ensure that he helps leave the Premier League champions in a position to continue their unprecedented domestic dominance from next season onwards.
Much of his work in recent transfer windows has centred around making the Etihad home to football’s next generation of elite talents. Savinho and Claudio Echeverri were both snapped up in the previous two transfer windows.
TBR understands that City Football Group have beaten Chelsea, Aston Villa and co to John Edwin Montano too; the Colombian starlet expected to start out at Belgian outfit Lommel before potentially following in Savinho’s footsteps.
As for the aforementioned Sullivan, a future in sky blue has already been prepared for.
Manchester City-bound Cavan Sullivan earns Bernardo Silva comparisons
Plans are in plans for the Philadelphia Union whizzkid to become a City player when he celebrates his 18th birthday, three years from now.
A balletic and unpredictable attacking midfielder who offsets his diminutive frame with quick feet and an even quicker brain, Sullivan recently broke Freddy Adu’s long-standing record as the youngest debutant in the history of Major League Soccer.
Now, of course, such high expectations can create plentiful pitfalls.
But with Manchester City already securing his signature, Sullivan can at least avoid the kind of relentless rumours that have sent many a rising star spinning off course.
“Small physically [but] very fast,” Tuttomercatoweb write, the Italian publication including Sullivan amongst their top three biggest talents in American soccer.
“[Sullivan possesses] truly excellent technique. Dribbling, assists and goals make him a real gem. “Similarities? Bernardo Silva.”
By the time 2028 rolls around, Portugal schemer Silva will be 33 years of age.
Any preparations for succession after Bernardo will undoubtedly be in place if he is still playing for Man City at that time, and Cavan Sullivan may be one of the people assigned to fill his shoes.
“Those that maybe haven’t learned [about him] yet, a young Cavan Sullivan has the talent and ability to become, I’ll just say a household name,” Philadelphia Union coach Jim Curtin said back in 2023.
“[He] is doing really big things.”
Bernardo Silva is not the only high-profile attacking midfielder to be mentioned alongside Sullivan.
“We’re from the Philadelphia area, so naturally people will make comparisons to [Christian] Pulisic,” Curtin adds, speaking to Backheeled about those comparisons with the AC Milan talisman.
“He’s obviously, clearly, incredibly talented. But there’s still a long way to go. I think Cavan, even more so than Chrisitian, has stood out and turned even more heads. That’s maybe the nicest compliment that I can give to a young kid that’s still got a ton of years ahead of him.
“But it’s not just me saying it, right? It’s every scout not just in the country, but the world. So he’s got the potential to do big things.”