Cavan Sullivan signed with the Union as the fifth-youngest player in MLS history and will leave for Manchester City in 2027 when he turns 18.
It's unclear when Sullivan will play his first MLS minutes with the Philadelphia Union, but some believe it could happen soon.
Managing expectations for Sullivan's debut is similar to managing the collision of a 14-year-old and a much older player.
Union head coach Jim Curtin expressed that Sullivan will train with the first team, and his playing time will depend on his progress and development during training.
Curtin emphasized that Sullivan will train with the first team to improve and expedite his development, and they are open to playing him at any time.
Sullivan, at 14, has high expectations due to his professional contract and interest from the English Premier League. He has played above his age level and has already made appearances for Union II.
There's anticipation about when Sullivan might play, but the timelines discussed by Curtin and sporting director Tanner suggest it will be years, not months, before he gets significant playing time.
Sullivan will not play against Orlando City this weekend due to a minor injury, but he will resume training with Union II next week and then with the first team.
The Union is focused on Sullivan's long-term development, as they have invested in him with the largest Homegrown contract in MLS history, ensuring a transfer fee when he moves to Europe in the future.
For now, Curtin and Union II coach Marlon LeBlanc are overseeing Sullivan's development, both being experienced with young players and having teenage children themselves.
Curtin emphasized that Sullivan's role is to be a kid, play, and reach his potential, while the Union's job is to create an environment for his development.
Curtin's responsibility is to win games in MLS, while LeBlanc's focus is not necessarily on winning in MLS Next Pro, although Union II has been performing well.
This setup allows for Sullivan to get playing time for his benefit, even if he may not be the best option for Union II to win, according to Curtin's approach.
LeBlanc said his job is to let the player experience both success and failure on game days in front of the fans. He wants the fans to witness the player's learning process.
The first focus is taking care of the individual player. The second is to help him get used to playing with older kids at Union II. After that, he will be ready to contribute to the first team based on merit, as determined by Curtin.
Curtin said that this game will determine when the next move for the player will happen. It could be in one, two, or three years. However, the goal is for the player to compete at the highest level in the sport, and currently, they believe that the current environment is the best place for him to play.
Tanner mentioned that this game is different from U-17 tournaments, including international ones, due to the physical standards and level of competition. They want to see how quickly he can adapt and excel at this level. The next step will be for him to train with the first team, and then they will decide the next course of action.
The speaker is not able to predict the future, but they hope that within one to two years, the player will get some playing time in the MLS.
