Arsenal are accelerating efforts to sign highly rated Georgian starlet Andria Bartishvili from Kolkheti 1913 this summer, according to the BBC.
Bartishvili has emerged as Georgia’s next rising star, earning the moniker the ‘next Khvicha Kvaratskhelia’. His footballing journey began in his homeland, where he progressed through the youth ranks at Dinamo Tbilisi.
The attacking midfielder made his senior debut in April 2025, becoming the youngest player to feature in that season’s Erovnuli Liga at just 16 years and two days old when he appeared for Kolkheti-1913 Poti against Samgurali Tsqaltubo.
Although the 17-year-old has not been a regular starter since arriving on loan at FC Iberia 1999 in January, he has still made a notable impression.
Still, across 16 league appearances, Bartishvili has accumulated close to 1,000 minutes while contributing two goals and two assists, and his impressive rise has sparked interest from several prominent clubs, including Arsenal.
This is according to the BBC, which claims that Arsenal are stepping up their interest in signing Bartishvili this summer.
The report adds that the Gunners’ recruitment specialist, Maurizio Micheli, was present at the Lilleküla Stadium last Wednesday for the 3-2 win over Flora in their Champions League qualifier to watch the 17-year-old in action ahead of a potential summer swoop.
‘Very talented’ prospects
The Georgian U21 international must have impressed Micheli with his displays, in which he helped Iberia secure a 5-4 aggregate victory in their Champions League qualifier, setting up a second-round qualifier against Slovan Bratislava.
While he is yet to make an appearance for the Georgian senior team, the head coach Willy Sagnol has already been impressed by his qualities, describing him as a ‘very talented player.’
Arsenal’s interest in Bartishvili is unsurprising, given the club’s commitment to assembling exciting prospects for the future, which has led to a youth-driven recruitment strategy.
This has led to the addition of players such as Jaden Dixon, Evan Mooney, and the highly rated Ecuadorian twins Edwin Quintero and Holger Quintero in recent transfer windows.
The club’s commitment to young players goes beyond just recruitment; integration of academy players has surged, with Mikel Arteta handing debuts to several Hale End Academy stars, including Max Dowman, Marli Solomon, Andre Harriman Annous, Ife Ibrahim, Brando Bailey-Joseph, and Marli Salmon.
Their clear pathway over the past season would be a strong proponent towards convincing Bartishvili to join their ambitious project.
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