Arsenal Secures Andria Bartishvili for 2027
Arsenal have beaten Liverpool to the punch for one of Europe’s most talked‑about teenagers – and they won’t see him in red and white for almost three years.
The Premier League champions have finalised a deal for 17-year-old Georgian attacking midfielder Andria Bartishvili, with Fabrizio Romano confirming the move is now “formally sealed”. The transfer is worth around €4.5m, with Bartishvili set to join Arsenal’s first team in the summer of 2027, once he turns 18.
Arsenal plan for 2027 while rivals scramble for 2024
It has been a ruthless few days at the Emirates. Four forwards out, none in for the present.
- Ethan Nwaneri has left for Borussia Dortmund on loan.
- Gabriel Jesus has gone to Barcelona in a £12m deal including add-ons.
- Gabriel Martinelli has been sold to Al-Hilal for £60m.
- Fabio Vieira has joined Hamburg for £8.6m.
On paper, that’s a lot of firepower walking out of the door.
Yet Mikel Arteta’s squad still looks stacked. Deep enough, in fact, that many around the league still see Arsenal as the benchmark. Liverpool can point to a handful of world-class names who would stroll into Arsenal’s XI, but their bench tells a different story. Depth at Anfield is nowhere near as intimidating, and few genuinely see the Reds as title favourites right now.
Arsenal, by contrast, are operating on two timelines at once. They have moved aggressively for peak-age stars like Ezri Konsa and Bruno Guimaraes, both 28 and ready to deliver immediately. At the same time, they are quietly locking down the next wave.
Bartishvili is the clearest sign of that long game.
Liverpool’s offer rejected as Arsenal close in
Both Arsenal and Liverpool chased Bartishvili over the summer, circling the Georgian teenager as the next big creative project. Liverpool even put a contract on the table.
It wasn’t enough.
On August 29, Romano dropped his trademark “here we go”, confirming Arsenal had reached an agreement to sign Bartishvili. He reported that the 17-year-old had a medical booked in London and would sign a five-year contract with the champions.
The structure is unusual but deliberate. Bartishvili will remain away from the club until 2027, when he turns 18 and can officially join the first-team squad. Arsenal are paying €4.5m to secure his future now rather than enter a bidding war later.
Days after the initial announcement, Romano revealed the teenager was travelling to the capital to complete the final steps of the move and undergo his medical.
That hurdle has now been cleared.
Romano: “He can be considered a new Arsenal player”
On Friday morning, Romano delivered the final update Arsenal fans were waiting for.
“Georgian talent Andria Bartishvili can be considered a new Arsenal player,” he wrote, confirming the medical has been completed, the contract is set to be signed and the deal is “formally sealed”. The plan is clear: Bartishvili will walk into Arsenal’s first team in the summer of 2027.
For Liverpool, it’s another near miss in a market where they cannot afford many. For Arsenal, it is one more piece in a long-term puzzle that already has the rest of the league looking over its shoulder.
If this is the level of planning for 2027, what will the champions look like by the time Bartishvili finally steps into the Emirates spotlight?
