Arsenal Pursue Georgian Midfielder Andria Bartishvili

Arsenal have stepped up their pursuit of Georgian midfielder Andria Bartishvili with a pre-contract offer, but the teenager is in no rush to close off his options.

BBC reporter Sami Mokbel says the Premier League club have moved early with a proposal designed to bring Bartishvili to north London towards the end of 2026, when his current deal runs out. It’s a long play, not a quick win.

They are not alone at the table. Liverpool and Juventus are also credited with an interest, and Bartishvili is understood to be weighing up his next move carefully before committing to any club.

At Arsenal, the push is being led by Maurizio Micheli, who is driving the club’s move for the young midfielder and has now helped formalise that interest into a concrete offer. Micheli has already put in the miles: he was spotted in the stands recently, watching Bartishvili in action for loan side Iberia 1999 against Flora in a Champions League qualifier.

Bartishvili’s parent club are FC Kolkheti, with both Kolkheti and Iberia operating in the Georgian league system. Because football in Georgia runs on a calendar-year schedule, his loan with Iberia does not end until December, and any move will be a slow burn rather than a sudden switch.

There is also a legal barrier on the horizon. Bartishvili cannot formally sign for Arsenal until March 2027, when he turns 18, even if an agreement is in place before then. For any club trying to land him, this is a recruitment project that demands patience.

On the pitch, his rise has gathered pace in recent months. The Georgia u21 international has produced two goals and three assists in 24 appearances for Iberia, with every one of those goal contributions coming since he broke into the starting XI at the start of May. Once he got into the team, he stayed there – and started to influence games.

His international record at youth level underlines why Europe’s elite are circling. Bartishvili has already represented Georgia at u16, u17, u19, and u21 level, scoring twice in two matches for the u19s in June.

For now, he remains a prospect developing in the Georgian league, but with Arsenal, Liverpool and Juventus all hovering, the question is no longer whether he will move – it’s which giant he chooses to grow up with.