Who is Andria Bartishvili? Arsenal book medical for 'new Khvicha Kvaratskhelia'

Premier League champions are in the market for attacking reinforcements this summer

As reported on Wednesday, Bartishvili has flown to London to undergo a medical and complete a move to Arsenal.

The forward confirmed that he was en route to the capital for his medical tests when he reposted Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano’s Instagram post on his story.

The 17-year-old has reached a pre-agreement with the Premier League champions to join them after he turns 18, which will be on March 30, 2027.

The teenager is currently playing for Erovnuli Liga club Iberia 1999 in his homeland, on loan from Kolkheti 1913 and has previously been hailed as the ‘new Khvicha Kvaratskhelia’.

A product of the Dinamo Tbilisi youth set-up, he made his senior debut in April 2025, becoming the youngest player in the Erovnuli Liga that season at just 16 years and two days as he featued in Kolkheti’s game against Samgurali.

He scored his first senior goal for Iberia, the winner in a 1-0 victory over Gagra in May.

But it was the international stage where he has really shone, and in June last year, Bartishvili was compared to the great Kvaratskhelia, who has become one of the world’s best attackers since his move from Napoli to Champions League holders Paris Saint-Germain.

In an Under-17s game against Kazakhstan in Qabala, Azerbaijan, he produced a superb individual display, notching two goals.

It led to agent Christian Dzaccardo, who was personally recommended Kvaratskhelia to Napoli after seeing him play in Georgia, comparing Bartishvili to the now-PSG winger.

"Recently, a lot of talented players have appeared in Georgia, one of such players is Andria Bartishvili,” the Italian agent told Sky Calcio.

“This 16-year-old attacking midfielder has the potential to become a great player."

“I saw Khvicha Kvaratskhelia play two years before he moved to Napoli, he was already a phenomenal player. I met him and then recommended him to Napoli.

"[Kvaratskhelia’s] brother Tornike was born in 2010 and has similar playing skills to Khvicha. He also plays on the left wing, has good dribbling and shooting.”