As the new season of football kicks off across Europe, we take a look at a few Armenian players that that have an opportunity to make a name for themselves in both club football and on the international stage!

Sargis Adamyan – TSG Hoffenheim

Name: Sargis Adamyan

Age: 26

Position: Left Wing, Center Forward

Club: TSG Hoffenheim (German Bundesliga)



Adamyan became the second Armenian to play for a top tier German side when he signed for TSG Hoffenheim from Bundesliga II side Jans Regensburg this summer. Adamyan impressed with 15 goals and 11 assists across all competitions last season, and that was enough to earn a move to the Bundesliga. The Armenian forward had a full preseason with a new look Hoffenheim that is looking to make its way back to the contention for a European spot this season and is likely to compete for a starting spot. Adamyan’s versatility in the attack makes him an attractive candidate for a side that looks to rotate its attacking line. Look for Adamyan to make well timed runs into the box and finish his chances. Adamyan was unable to join Armenia in their previous two qualifiers as he was recovering from an injury, however, he is likely to make his way back into the national team when Armenia take on Italy and Bosnia next month.

Petros Avetisyan – Ararat Armenia

Name: Petros Avetisyan

Age: 23

Position: Attacking Midfield

Club: Ararat Armenia (Armenian Premier League)



Avetisyan was the subject of a winter transfer from Pyunik Yerevan to Ararat Armenia. The Armenian scored 14 goals and assisted 13 times in 64 appearances with Pyunik. Since joining Ararat, Avetisyan has won the Armenian league and scored a brace in a 2-1 win versus Swedish side AIK in the Champions League first round qualifiers. Avetisyan came on as a substitute in the second leg of the Europa League 3rd round qualifier tie versus Saburtalo and scored the decisive penalty that saw the Ararat Armenia make history as the first Armenian side to make it to a European Cup playoff. Avetisyan is a dynamic attacking midfielder that plays centrally and acts as a supporting forward that plays combinations at the top of the box. Avetisyan is not afraid to take players on and does not shy away from attempting to dribble past defenders. If Ararat make it into the Europa League group stage, look for Avetisyan to shine and catch the eye of clubs across Europe. He is a very talented player with incredible potential that has a very bright future ahead of him.

Erik Vardanyan – Pyunik Yerevan

Name: Erik Vardanyan

Age: 21

Position: Attacking Midfield

Club: Pyunik Yerevan (Armenian Premier League)

Vardanyan has the potential to join the long line of top Armenian talent to come from the Pyunik academy system. Vardanyan was the top scorer in the Armenian league at the age of 19 with 12 goals from the #10 role. The midfielder had a dynamic start to the season scoring 1 goal and assisting twice in the Armenian clubs bid for a place in this years installment of the Europa Legaue. Unfortunately, Vardanyan and the Pyunik side were knocked out of contention by English Premier League side Wolves in the third round. Despite the early exit from Europe, Vardanyan will likely be a regular feature in the top of the scoring charts in the Armenian league. Vardanyan made the bench for Armenia’s wins over Greece and Lichtenstein in Euro Qualifiers and will likely be a key substitute in the campaign moving forward. Despite being away from the spotlight in the Armenian league, Vardanyan can attract interest from clubs in Europe and make a move to a bigger club, following in the footsteps of the likes of Arsenal’s Henrikh Mkhitaryan.

Tigran Barseghyan – Kaysar Kyzylorda

Name: Tigran Barseghyan

Age: 25

Position: Right Wing

Club: Kaysar Kyzylorda (Kazakhstan First Tier)

Barseghyan made the switch from Macedonian side Vardar Skopje to Kazakh side Kaysar in January after a string of good performances. The winger has scored 14 goals and assisted 2 times in the season so far and is likely to continue to add to his tally. Barseghyan was crucial in Armenia’s latest international victories, scoring against Lichtenstein and Greece to bring Armenia back in contention for a spot at Euro 2020. Although Barseghyan made his way to a lower tier league in Europe, Barseghyan’s talents will not go unnoticed by surrounding leagues. His ruthlessness in front of goal is evident by his current goal tally in the league and he is in a very strong position to score over 20 goals across all competitions. Do not be surprised if Barseghyan is the next Armenian player to join a top club in leagues like Russian and the Ukraine.

Gaël Andonian – AC Ajaccio

Name: Gaël Andonian

Age: 24

Position: Central Defender

Club: AC Ajaccio (Ligue 2 – France)

After making his way through the Olympique Marsielle, Andonian found himself in the Marseille first team and seeing rotational football until the sacking of his manager. When a new regime took over at Marseille Adnonian was sent out on loan to Ligue 2 side Dijon where he won promotion but was not signed permanently. Andonian was sent back to Marseielle B where he saw out the remainder of his contract and refused to sign a new deal as he was not guaranteed first team football. Andonian went on trial with English EFL side Sunderland where he impressed, but was not signed due to wage issues at the club. After going radio silent, Andonian emerged again, this time on trial with French Ligue 2 side AC Ajaccio where he earned a contract to play for the first team. After being considered a revelation for the Armenian defensive issues, Andonian’s absence from regular football lead him to fall out of favor with the national side, and even reportedly ignored calls from the Armenian Football Federation. Andonian is looking to get his career back on track with the French side where he has a string chance of fighting for minutes as they look to make a promotion into Ligue 1. If Andonian becomes a regular starter, he may be brought back into the national team picture and place nicely along side Andre Calisir and Varazdat Haroyan. Andonian is a great talent and is still before his prime, if he can make a statement in his club team and fight for a spot in the Armenia side, he can be the player he was once tipped to be.

Name: Vahan Bichakhchyan

Age: 20

Position: Attacking Midfield

Club: MSK Zilina (Slovakia First Tier)

Bichakhchyan is one of the most exciting talents to come out of Armenia in a long time. The young attacking midfielder made his way through the Shirak youth system and caught the eye of a number of clubs, including the likes of Benfica, Zenit, Galatasaray, and a couple of Italian and English sides. Ultimately, Bichakhchyan chose the unlikely destination of MSK Zilina in the Slovakian first tier to continue his development. What looked like a rash decision from the youngster is actually far more calculated than most would believe. His reasoning for rejecting larger clubs is his desire to play in the senior level for his club, an offer that was not on the table with other clubs. Bichakhchyan quickly settled into the first team and regularly features for both the senior squad and second team. The talented midfielder has already scored twice in four appearance for the B team and is very likely to feature regularly in the first team. Being only 20 years old, it is likely that the clubs that showed initial interest in the Armenian will be monitoring his progress. With the figures that he is capable of putting up in the league, it should be a matter of time until top clubs come back with an improved offer that include guaranteed first team minutes.

These were some of the most exciting talents that Armenia has to offer. With a growing league that is looking to be in the European club scene and a national side that looks to compete for a spot in the Euros, these players can make their mark in their respective clubs and on the international stage. Although in varying stages of their careers, almost all of the candidates are in a strong position to make an argument for regular first team play. With consistent performance, the players can attract interest from top European sides and showcase the hidden talents Armenia holds. Only time will tell.