Arsenal are reportedly set to make a pre-contract offer to sign Georgia Under-21 international Andria Bartishvili.
The 17-year-old is contracted to parent club FC Kolkheti until the end of this year but spent last season on loan at Iberia 1999, who finished second in the Georgian top-flight – missing out on the title by one point.
According to BBC Sport’s Sami Mokbel, Bartishvili – a versatile attacking midfielder – is viewed as one of the brightest talents in Georgian football and has been linked with several clubs across Europe.
It remains unclear who is driving this pursuit but Maurizio Micheli, who recently joined the club to work alongside sporting director Andrea Berta, was credited with early interest in countryman Kvicha Kvaratskhelia who he urged Napoli to sign from Rubin Kazan.
Elsewhere, Fabrizio Romano reports that Arsenal have sent an “official bid” to Leicester for Jeremy Monga, with the 16-year-old winger keen on joining the Premier League Champions this summer despite competition from other clubs.
He claims a deal is now expected to move quickly with Monga considered a huge prospect for the future.