BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. (Sept. 14, 2018) – The Chicago Fire announced Friday that the club has claimed forward Yura Movsisyan off waivers.
Movsisyan, 31, joins the Fire after most recently spending time on loan with Swedish first-division side Djurgårdens IF, where he appeared in four matches in the 2017-18 campaign.
Movsisyan began his professional career when he was selected in the first round (fourth overall) of the 2006 MLS SuperDraft by the Kansas City Wizards. He scored five goals in 28 regular-season appearances before he was traded to Real Salt Lake in September 2007.
In his first stint with RSL, Movsisyan scored 15 goals and tallied three assists in 53 regular-season appearances (36 starts). He additionally added one goal and one assist in seven postseason appearances (5 starts), helping RSL capture the 2009 MLS Cup.
Following the championship season, Movsisyan departed for Danish Superliga club Randers FC. From 2010-11, he scored 12 goals in 30 appearances, while also adding five goals in five UEFA Europa League appearances, before transferring to the Russian Premier League’s FC Krasnodar on Jan. 3, 2011.
In his first season in Russia, Movsisyan scored 14 goals en route to club MVP honors. The following season he tallied nine goals in 14 matches prior to joining Spartak Moscow in December 2012.
Movsisyan scored a hat trick in his debut for Spartak Moscow, a 3-1 victory over Akhmat Grozny on March 10, 2013. Movsisyan scored 25 total goals in 62 matches during his time in Moscow from 2012-16.
Movsisyan returned to RSL on loan on Jan. 15, 2016, and was permanently acquired on Oct. 10, 2016. In his second stint with the club, he tallied 16 goals and three assists in 57 league matches.
At the international level, Movsisyan scored in his debut for the Armenian National team, a 4-0 win over Andorra on Oct. 12, 2010. Movsisyan has since earned 34 caps for his country and scored nine goals, including a fifth-minute strike in a 2-2 draw against Italy in FIFA World Cup qualifying on Oct. 15, 2013.
Transaction: Chicago Fire claim forward Yura Movsisyan off waivers.
Name: Yura Movsisyan
Position: Forward
Height: 6’1”
Weight: 177 lbs.
Date of Birth: Aug. 2, 1987
Birthplace: Baku, Azerbaijan
Citizenship: United States of America
Last Club: Real Salt Lake
