Overview
- Arsenal have intensified their interest in Bartishvili and sent recruitment specialist Maurizio Micheli to watch him play in a UEFA Champions League qualifying tie last Wednesday.
- The 17-year-old is on loan at FC Iberia 1999 after coming through Kolkheti-1913 and has logged roughly 16 league appearances this season with about two goals and two assists.
- Georgia under-21 coach Willy Sagnol has publicly praised Bartishvili as a very talented player and he has been compared to Khvicha Kvaratskhelia in terms of upside.
- Reports say Liverpool and other clubs are also monitoring Bartishvili, and Arsenal’s urgency increased after missing Jeremy Monga to Manchester City.
- No transfer has been agreed and negotiations with Kolkheti-1913 remain necessary, with Arsenal’s recent track record of promoting young players seen as a key selling point if talks progress.