Yura Movsisyan is reportedly on his way back to Real Salt Lake.
While nothing has been made official yet, a number of sources have been reporting on the progress of talks between RSL and Spartak Moscow, Movsisyan’s latest club, as rumors have swirled since the end of the season. The Salt Lake Tribune cited “league sources” in reporting that terms have been agreed to bring the Armenian striker, who left RSL after the MLS Cup-winning 2009 season to try his luck in Europe, back to Salt Lake.He scored 15 goals with the claret and cobalt from 2007-2009.
Since his move from RSL Movsisyan has played for Randers in Denmark and Krasnodor and Spartak Moscow in the Russian Premier League. He was the RPL’s top scorer in 2012-2013 with 13 goals while splitting the season with Krasnodor and Spartak.
Movsisyan had been the subject of fan “wish lists” for some time in SLC, particularly after this last MLS season, in which Real failed to make the playoffs. Alvaro Saborio, who had largely replaced Movsisyan’s goal production for the club, had fallen off last year before being traded to D.C. United mid-season, and Sebastian Jaime has struggled to score consistently since joining the club. Fans will be looking forward to an improved attack in 2016, with Burrito Martinez and Javier Morales in creative roles and Movsisyan possibly playing more of a traditional striker’s part.
Real had retained Movsisyan’s rights after his departure, so completing a deal should be fairly straightforward within the MLS framework.
In other RSL news, Sebastian Saucedo has been sent on a year-long loan to Mexican side Veracruz. A native of Park City, Utah, and product of the club’s academy system, Saucedo had played sparingly with the first team last season and will be looking for more playing time. He joins a long list of MLS players moving to Liga MX this off-season, including Real’s Luis Gil and Luis Silva, both of whom were out of contract and made permanent moves earlier in the offseason.
