Rangers and Nottingham Forest were said to have taken an interest in the Sunderland forward.

Sunderland have fended off Rangers and Nottingham Forest interest to land a top talent on a new contract.

The Ibrox side were said to hold interest in Armenian international Finn Geragusian after his emergence at the Black Cats. They faced competition over bringing the forward to the Premiership as Premier League side Nottingham Forest also offered an avenue to go down alongside a possibility of staying at Sunderland

According to North East Football Journalist, Craig Hope, Sunderland looked to have been struggling to hold onto their young talent as last season came to a close. He said via X: “Sunderland face fight to keep hold of forward Finn Geragusian. Clubs from Premier League & Europe showing interest, inc. Nottingham Forest & Rangers. The 18-yr-old out of contract in summer & yet to agree new deal. Still on scholarship contract, so under FIFA rules can leave for as little as €200k to non-English clubs. Geragusian was called up to most recent senior Armenia squad.”

Who has Finn Geragusian signed for?

It’s now been confirmed by Sunderland that he has opted to remain with them and sign a professional deal. Geragusian said: “I’m really proud of myself. The coaches and all the other staff have helped me out, and a big shout out to my family as well who have supported and pushed me this season. I’ve had some great opportunities and experiences, and hopefully now I’ll be able to have many more this season.”

Head of Academy John Hewitson added: “Finn has made massive progress over the last couple of seasons and that is testament to his hard-working attitude. We are delighted that he will be continuing his progression at the Club.”

Sunderland’s statement added: “Sunderland AFC is delighted to announce that Finn Geragusian has signed his first professional contract with the club. The striker scored 13 goals and three assists across the academy teams last season, following on from 19 goal contributions in 2024-25.

How highly is Finn Geragusian rated?

“Achievements last season continued as the 18-year-old received his first senior international call-up last campaign as he was called up to Armenia’s national team, making his debut against Belarus in March.”

Former Aberdeen, Aston Villa and Everton CEO Keith Wyness, who now acts as a consultant, thought the deal could have been a money spinner for Rangers. He said on the Inside Track Podcast: “My first question is why are Sunderland letting him go? If the reason is because they believe that he can go on to a platform like Rangers and showcase himself, then he would get a move down to the Premier League, I’m pretty sure pretty quickly. For Rangers, they’ve got to be careful because taking an 18-year-old into the Glasgow pressure cooker isn’t always easy either, and that may not be the best platform.

“Mikey Moore seems to be an example where it took him a little while to settle down, but he’s done it now, and he understands it and has enjoyed it. If he is as good as they think he is, and he stays injury free, then that’s exactly the type of talent that can end up becoming a big money spinner for the club. It can be difficult for some people, so I’d want to do some research into the personality and the character of the player.”