Arsenal agree £3.9m deal for Georgian teenager Andria Bartishvili

Arsenal have reached an agreement to sign Georgian attacking midfielder Andria Bartishvili for €4.5m (£3.9m) during the current summer transfer window.

The 17-year-old was also attracting interest from several clubs, including Premier League rivals Liverpool, but Arsenal have won the race for his signature, according to Sports Mole.

Bartishvili is expected to travel to London on Tuesday, 1 September, to undergo a medical before completing the move. He has agreed a five-year contract with Arsenal.

However, the teenager will return to Georgia after the transfer is finalised because of work permit restrictions affecting overseas players under the age of 18. As a result, he will not formally join Arsenal until he turns 18 in March 2027.

Bartishvili is currently on loan at Iberia from Kolkheti. He began his career in the academy of Dinamo Tbilisi before moving to Kolkheti ahead of the 2025 season.

The midfielder was named the Georgian league’s under-17 player of the year in 2025. He then joined Iberia on loan for the 2026 season, where he has scored twice and provided three assists in 24 competitive appearances.

He has represented Georgia at several youth levels, including the under-21 side. Bartishvili made two appearances for the team in March.

The player is regarded as an attack-minded talent, with his pace and ability on the ball among his most notable qualities. Those attributes have led to comparisons with Georgia and Paris Saint-Germain forward Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.

Arsenal’s agreement for Bartishvili was reached on the same day the club announced that Marley Salmon had signed his first professional contract with the first team.

The two developments underline Arsenal’s focus on recruiting and developing young players who could eventually become established members of the senior squad. Bartishvili’s immediate return to Georgia means his integration into the Arsenal first-team set-up will be delayed until he is eligible to join the club officially.

For now, the transfer remains subject to the completion of the medical and the final steps of the agreement. Once those formalities are completed, Bartishvili will be tied to Arsenal on a five-year deal, although his competitive involvement with the club will not begin until after his 18th birthday in March 2027.