Sunderland AFC have confirmed the signing of Finn Geragusian on his first professional contract following an impressive breakthrough campaign with the club’s Under-21 side.
Could Finn Geragusian be the next success story in a long line of talented Sunderland Academy products? I think he will be!
Geragusian, an 18-year-old Armenian international forward, began his football journey with Wearside League club Silksworth Colliery Welfare at the age of 13 before joining Sunderland’s Academy in 2021, aged
14.
He made his Sunderland Under-18 debut during the 2023–24 season, scoring three goals in 17 appearances. The following campaign saw the young striker establish himself across both the Under-18s and Under-21s, registering an impressive return of 13 goals and eight assists across the two age groups.
During the 2025–26 season, Geragusian continued his development by featuring regularly for both academy sides, scoring 13 goals and providing three assists. He also played a key role in Sunderland Under-21s’ run to the Premier League Cup Final. Although Graeme Murty’s side were ultimately beaten by Burnley’s youngsters at the Stadium of Light, reaching the final represented a significant achievement for the club’s academy.
His progress was recognised in March when he received his first senior call-up for Sunderland’s FA Cup tie against Port Vale. While he remained an unused substitute, the experience of being involved with the first-team squad marked another important milestone in his development.
Eligible to represent Armenia through his grandfather, Geragusian has progressed rapidly through the national team setup. He made two appearances for Armenia Under-17s in 2024, scoring once, before earning two caps for the Under-21 side during the 2025 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualifying campaign. In 2026, he received his first senior international call-up and made his debut, playing 26 minutes in a friendly against Belarus.
Still only 18 years old, Finn Geragusian is regarded as one of Sunderland’s brightest academy prospects. Possessing excellent pace, an imposing physical presence, and a natural eye for goal, he is capable of finishing confidently inside the penalty area while also scoring spectacular strikes from distance. Comfortable operating through the middle or from wide areas, his technical ability, movement, and creativity in the final third make him an exciting attacking talent.
I think he will be a great talent over the next few years and will definitely feature in some capacity at a high level during his career.
Could Sunderland’s latest academy graduate become a first-team regular sooner than expected? With European football on the horizon, his opportunity might arrive faster than many think.
So, where will our new academy graduate fit in?
I can see Geragusian getting minutes in pre-season, especially in our fixture against York City, possibly even starting that game.
Hopefully, from a development point of view, we see him become a mainstay in the first-team matchday squad in both the Premier League and Europa League. This will also be a great opportunity for him to feature in the starting XI during our FA Cup and EFL Cup campaigns.
I could see him playing for Sunderland in 2026 – 27 due to the crucial squad depth needed to balance European and domestic competition. I don’t think he will be loaned out.
We currently have two senior strikers – Brian Brobbey and Wilson Isidor – both proven international players who will be great mentors for young Geragusian. Having only two senior strikers could also provide him with a great opportunity as he looks to break into the starting line-up.
