Georgia already boasts one of Europe's most exciting attacking talents in Khvicha Kvaratskhelia at Paris Saint-Germain, and Arsenal believe they may be getting a hold of the next one.
According to transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano, the Gunners have agreed a fee of around €4.5m for the attacking midfielder, who is currently on loan at Iberia 1999 in the Georgian top flight from parent club Kolkheti 1913. He has made 24 first-team appearances on loan this season, scoring twice and adding three assists.
Bartishvili, who plays as a number 10, has drawn comparisons to Kvaratskhelia partly because of his home country and playing style, and partly because Arsenal's pursuit has been driven by assistant sporting director Maurizio Micheli, who worked at Napoli and is credited with recommending Kvaratskhelia to the Serie A club before his breakthrough.
Born in Tbilisi, Bartishvili came through the Dinamo Tbilisi academy and made history in April 2025 by becoming one of the youngest players ever to feature in Georgia's top division, aged just 16. He has since represented his country at Under-16, Under-17, Under-19 and Under-21 level despite his age.
The transfer will not become official until March 2027, when Bartishvili turns 18, in line with international regulations governing the transfer of players under that age. He is expected to sign a five-year contract once the move is completed, having reportedly seen off competition from Liverpool and Juventus to secure his signature.
Arsenal have made a habit of moving early for highly-rated teenage talent in recent windows, and Bartishvili's arrival would add further creative depth to an academy pipeline that has already produced several first-team regulars in recent seasons.
Bartishvili's rapid rise has been built on standout performances at youth level, including a starring role for Georgia's Under-17s against Kazakhstan last year that first fuelled comparisons with Kvaratskhelia among scouts in the region. He is regarded for his close control, dribbling and ability to operate between the lines, attributes that have made him one of the most closely tracked prospects to emerge from Georgian football in recent years.
Once officially registered, he is expected to join Arsenal's Under-18 or Under-21 setup before being assessed for a pathway into the first-team picture, following the model the club has used with other recent academy recruits from outside England.
Read more: Georgia's next Kvara? Inside the rise of Arsenal and Liverpool target Andria Bartishvili