By: Ganiyu Olayinka
Arsenal are closing in on the signing of Georgian teenager Andria Bartishvili after the highly rated youngster successfully completed his medical ahead of the proposed move to north London.
The Gunners are expected to finalise the transfer this weekend after beating off competition from Liverpool and a number of prominent European clubs for the 17-year-old’s signature.
Bartishvili arrived in London on Thursday, with his trip first reported by Geo Team, and has now cleared the necessary medical checks. He is expected to sign a five-year contract with Arsenal.
The attacking midfielder, who has been compared with fellow Georgian star Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, will remain with his current club Kolkheti 1913 until next summer. Arsenal will then officially register him with their senior setup after he turns 18 in March.
Bartishvili acknowledged the growing excitement surrounding his move earlier this week, thanking supporters on Instagram for their messages following his arrival in England.
“A very big thank you to everyone for the congratulations,” he wrote.
Arsenal will hope Bartishvili can follow a path similar to Kvaratskhelia, who developed into one of Europe’s most exciting wingers after making his breakthrough with Napoli before earning a move to Paris Saint-Germain.
The teenager has already attracted significant praise in Georgia. National team manager Willy Sagnol identified Bartishvili as a player with outstanding potential in June, although the former France and Bayern Munich defender stressed that talent alone would not guarantee his development.
“I watched the youth team play, Bartishvili is a very talented player,” Sagnol said. “However, for a talented player to take a step forward in his career, technique alone is not enough. The right mindset is needed, and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia is an example of this. Hopefully, Andria and the other young players will continue to work and develop to become great players in the future.”
Bartishvili’s impending arrival is the latest move in an active period of recruitment for Arsenal’s academy, with Igor Tyjon, Vincent Joseph, Axel Donczew, Elijah Upson and Mylo Bernard also joining the club in recent months.