Real Salt Lake brass are staying mum on the possibility of former striker Yura Movsisyan returning to Major League Soccer, but where there's smoke, there could be fire. It was less than a month ago that Movsisyan’s agent Patrick McCabe spoke with the Salt Lake Tribune’s Chris Kamrani about the possibility of the Armenian striker’s return to his former club, and just this past weekend, Real Salt Lake broadcaster Brian Dunseth said that the story "has legs."
Then, on Thursday afternoon, Movsisyan himself added to the blaze when he posted a “Throwback Thursday” post on Facebook with a photo from his time with RSL, with the Armenian facing off against David Beckham in full claret-and-cobalt regalia.
That post, coupled with a report from the Football Federation of Armenia, stating that Movsisyan had been cleared to undergo a physical in the US, has further fuelled speculation that a return is imminent.
And Dunseth, for one, thinks that the 27-year-old would be an ideal addition for his former club.
“It’s something that would be a perfect fit in terms of him, the club, Major League Soccer and positionally,” Dunseth said in a phone interview Thursday. “[Movsisyan’s] an out-and-out goal scorer, which is something every team searches for, especially during the summer transfer window.”
The summer transfer window for MLS opens on July 8. RSL especially have struggled to ruffle the back of the net during their first 15 matches this season, scoring only 13 goals, good for third-worst in the league. Movsisyan would provide proven goal-scoring as well as experience and versatility in the attack.
“He’s a hybrid player.” Dunseth added. “He’s a guy that can play in a bunch of different positions. At the end of the day, he wants to score goals. He wants to win games but you can put him in a bunch of different spots. If you’re talking specifically about Real Salt Lake, any position in the front three, he could be successful.”
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It’s been six years since Movsisyan’s departure from RSL following the team’s inspiring run to MLS Cup. In that time he has experienced an impressive rise through the ranks of European soccer.
He first made his way to Randers FC in the Danish Superliga championship, but soon made a move to FC Krasnodar in the Russian Premier League. While at Krasnodar, Movsisyan scored at an impressive clip, marking 23 goals in 57 appearances, enough to capture the attention of Russian giants FC Spartak Moscow, who reportedly paid a transfer fee of 7.5 million Euros to secure the forward’s services. Despite a handful of injuries in his time there, Movsisyan still posted some outstanding numbers with 22 goals in just 40 appearances.
Since RSL did not receive a transfer fee when Movsisyan left MLS, they retain his rights, which are tradeable. He is reportedly under contract with Spartak for two more years, which means any reunion would likely require a transfer fee.
Dunseth, who is also an analyst for FOX Sports, expressed optimism that a deal could be struck, saying that RSL and Movsisyan would make the quite the reunion.
“It would be seamless transition," Dunseth explained. "He’s familiar with the city. He’s familiar with the club. He’s familiar with some of the players that remain from his time here, from 2007 to 2009, and I think overall he’s a player that’s matured, both on and off the field. [He’s] married with a few kids. He’s traveled the world a little bit and he’s become a full, established international with Armenia.”
