Arsenal agree deal to sign player compared to Khvicha Kvaratskhelia
Amidst the noise around Arsenal's failed pursuit of several forward transfer targets, they are now closing in on a deal for a player who might, in time, bolster their attack.
The Gunners have endured a frustrating transfer window, struggling to source the star-studded attacker they set out to sign at the beginning of the summer. Morgan Rogers, Vinicius Junior and Bradley Barcola have passed them by, while a deal for Julian Alvarez looks increasingly unlikely to come to fruition.
On the bright side, they have added one of the best midfielders on the planet in Bruno Guimaraes to their ranks, a promising talent in Christos Tzolis and a dependable depth piece at the back in Ezri Konsa.
Now, they're set to sign one of the most highly-rated youngsters on the continent.
Andrea Berta and his recruitment team aren't just concerned with strengthening Mikel Arteta's team in the immediate short-term, but they're also keen on ensuring they can sustain this success over several years by signing potential stars of the future. Blackburn forward Igor Tyjon completed his switch to Arsenal earlier this week, and the England youth international is expected to be followed by another up and coming attacking player.
According to Fabrizio Romano, the Gunners have agreed a deal to sign 17-year-old Georgian talent Andria Bartishvili. The creative midfielder, relentlessly compared to his compatriot Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, is set to undergo his medical in London next week before signing a five-year contract with the North Londoners.
Arsenal will pay his club, Kolkheti 1913, a fee of €4.5 million (£3.9 million) in compensation, and he'll join next year when he's 18.
🚨🔴⚪️ Arsenal agree deal to sign 17 year old Georgian talent Andria Bartishvili, here we go!
17 year old midfielder has medical booked in London at #AFC next week then signing a five year contract.
He’s joining from 2027 when turning 18.
Deal worth €4.5m. @Geo__team 🇬🇪 pic.twitter.com/8BwkyoAypG
Joining the Dinamo Tbilisi academy as a child, Bartishvili impressed throughout his rise through the ranks before joining Kolkheti prior to the 2025 season. He broke through into the Georgian side's first team in his debut campaign at the club, before enjoying a fruitful loan spell at Iberia 1999, where he'll be until January.
Ostensibly a number ten, Bartishvili is an outstanding dribbler in tight spaces, able to pick the ball up in pockets, take it past players before playing an incisive pass in the final third. He still has plenty of development to do physically, while he's yet to become a reliable contributor in terms of playing the final ball or getting his own chances.
One of the most prestigious talents in Georgian football, there are high hopes that he can emulate the levels Kvaratskhelia has reached, with the Paris Saint-Germain winger still playing in Georgia when he was 21.
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