The fate of Cavan Sullivan has been hanging in the balance ever since the Premier League called “sham.”

The 17-year-old U.S. men’s national team prodigy, who is currently dominating MLS with the Philadelphia Union, is contractually obligated to transfer to Manchester City when he turns 18; however, the club’s future is looking more grim each day, in turn making his own future all the more unknown.

City are staring down severe punishments after being found guilty for breaching the Premier League’s financial regulations for nearly a decade (2009–2018)—arranging “sham” contracts and filing “misstated accounts” that reduced costs by £900 million ($1.2 billion).

What exact punishments the club will face remain unclear, but it could be anything from a hefty points deduction or an expulsion from the Premier League to even a retroactive removal of trophies.…