Arsenal are reportedly set to sign a young Georgian star who has drawn comparisons with Paris Saint-Germain forward Khvicha Kvaratskhelia
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia applauds
Arsenal could be set to sign a player who has been compared to PSG's Khvicha Kvaratskhelia(Image: Getty Images)
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Arsenal have reportedly agreed a deal to sign Georgian midfielder Andria Bartishvili. The 17-year-old has drawn comparisons with his compatriot, Paris Saint-Germain star Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.
The Gunners are developing some of English football's best young players, with several already making first-team appearances in recent campaigns. Max Dowman, Ethan Nwaneri and Marli Salmon are just some of the talent to have lined up for Mikel Arteta's men from Arsenal's academy.
Academies are mainly about getting players into the first team, but they are also becoming more and more about producing talent to give them a good career and to sell on.
Premier League rivals Chelsea have been most successful at this, having generated over £400million in transfer fees from players they have produced in their academy. Any homegrown sale has provided a financial boost for clubs as their status represents pure profit - a key metric for English football's financial rules, the Squad Cost Ratio (SCR) system.
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And journalist Fabrizio Romano has claimed that a medical has been booked in London next week for Iberia 1999 star Bartishvili. It is said that he will sign a five-year contract and join in 2027, presumably for the academy, when he turns 18.
While Bartishvili will not be homegrown, Arsenal could end up selling him for a significant profit on his reported £3.8m transfer fee further down the line. The attacking midfielder has scored two goals and provided three assists in 24 appearances for his current club side.
Andria Bartishvili in action
Andria Bartishvili is a potential star for the future(Image: 2026 Levan Verdzeuli)
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Arsenal fans will hope his signing proves an astute purchase, with Georgian football also producing Kvaratskhelia in recent years.
The PSG star was not the biggest name when he joined Serie A giants Napoli back in 2022. However, he quickly established himself as a top talent for the Italian giants, and that later earned him a big move to Paris, where he has won back-to-back Champions League titles.
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Arteta's side look to be turning their attention to young talent with right-back Habeeb Ogunneye heading to north London from Manchester United.
Ogunneye was at Arsenal's training ground last Thursday to undergo a medical, and the 20-year-old will sign for the Gunners on a free transfer that includes a 40 per cent sell-on clause.
It comes after James Scanlon's arrival from Old Trafford as well. The 19-year-old finalised a move to the Emirates Stadium this week.
Both young stars are known to Arsenal’s new under-21s head coach, David Horseman. He previously spent four months at United as an academy coach.