REAL SALT LAKE SIGNS FORWARD ARTUR
AGHASYAN
23-Year-Old
Striker to Provide Depth for Depleted RSL Attacking Corps
SANDY, Utah (Friday, May 27, 2011)– Real Salt Lake today announced the signing of forward Artur Aghasyan to the Utah side. Per club policy, contract terms will not be disclosed. Aghasyan will be available for selection on Saturday when RSL plays host to Seattle Sounders FC at Rio Tinto Stadium (7:00 p.m. MT kickoff). With injuries and nation team call-ups depleting Real Salt Lake’s forward corps leading into a busy June schedule, the Utah side called in Aghasyan to bolster its attack at least through the duration of the CONCACAF Gold Cup.
The 23-year-old Aghasyan is familiar to the Claret-and-Cobalt, as the cousin of former RSL member Yura Movsisyan was invited to participate in the team’s 2009 preseason camp in Southern California and was placed on the squad’s Discovery player list with a potential signing in mind. With Real Salt Lake’s unprecedented lack of depth up top in the short term, the former Armenian youth national team product will finally get his chance to impress in the North American top flight after trying to crack the ranks of MLS for the last three preseasons, once with RSL and twice with Chivas USA. Aghasyan started his playing career in his native Armenia in the youth sides of F.C. Banants before beginning his professional days with Pyunik FC and Ullises F.C. Upon moving to the United States in 2007 with his family, the striker landed with USL Premier Development League squad Ventura County Fusion, where he scored 16 goals across two PDL seasons.
#14 ARTUR AGHASYAN
Position: Forward
Height: 5’8” Weight: 167 lbs.
Born: June 24, 1987 in Yerevan, Armenia
Hometown: Yerevan, Armenia
Citizenship: Armenian (USA green card holder)
College: N/A
MLS Experience: 1st Season (2011)
Last Club: Ventura County Fusion (USL PDL) (2009)
Pronunciation: ah-GAZ-ee-an
Acquired
RSL: Signed to contract on 5/27/11
Playing History
F.C. Banants (Armenia) (2003-04): Played in the youth sides of F.C. Banants, winning a Golden Boot in both seasons after scoring 18 goals in 32 goals in 2003 and 32 goals in 18 games played in 2004 … Helped Banants win the Armenian U-16 and U-17 National Championships in back-to-back seasons.
Pyunik FC (Armenia) (2005-06): Began professional career with Armenian side Pyunik FC, starting with the 2005 season for the club’s team in the Armenian second division … Was Golden Boot winner in Second Division in 2005, scoring 16 goals in 25 appearances while helping Pyunik to the division championship … Graduated to Pyunik’s First Division team in 2006, scoring a pair of goals in three contests … Appearances included a pair in the Soviet Union Champions League tournament against teams such as C.S.K.A. Moscow (Russia), Shakhtar Donetsk (Ukraine), Neftchi Baku (Azerbajian).
Ullises F.C. (Armenia) (2007): Reported to Ullises F.C. in his hometown of Yerevan on loan for a portion of the 2007 season before moving to the United States.
Ventura County Fusion (USL PDL) (2008-09): Scored eight goals in both 2008 and 2009 for the Ventura County Fusion of the United Soccer Leagues (USL) Premier Development League (PDL) … Helped the Fusion reach the 2009 PDL postseason, eventually taking the Championship 2-1 over the Chicago Fire Premier … Played against RSL as a member of Fusion during the 2009.
Misc: Is a cousin of former RSL forward and fellow Armenian countryman Yura Movsisyan … Represented Armenia at the Under-19 and Under-21 levels, including four caps for the Armenia U-19s at the Euro U-19 Championships … Suited up for the Claret-and-Cobalt during the 2009 preseason, scoring a goal in a 6-0 win over Chinese side Shandong Luneng Taishan on 2/14/09 … Also trialed for Chivas USA during the 2010 and 2011 preseasons, scoring four goals in three exhibition contests in 2010 … Totaled 101 minutes in three contests (one start) for Chivas USA in MLS Reserve League action in spring 2011 … Moved to Los Angeles from Armenia in 2007 after his family received U.S. Green Cards.
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