Liverpool and Arsenal Target Georgian Star Andria Bartishvili
Liverpool have moved into the race for highly rated Georgian teenager Andria Bartishvili, stepping into a developing tug-of-war that already includes Arsenal and Paris FC.
The 17-year-old attacking midfielder has burst onto the scene in the Georgian top flight this season, racking up double‑digit appearances and marking his arrival with a decisive first senior goal in a 1-0 win over Gagra. In Georgia, they already talk about him as one of the brightest talents the country has produced in years.
He is on loan at FC Iberia 1999 from parent club Kolkheti 1913, operating mainly as a No 10 but just as comfortable drifting in off the left. At 170cm, he is not an imposing figure, but his game is built on something else entirely: tight close control, sudden changes of direction and a willingness to take defenders on one‑v‑one. Those qualities have inevitably drawn early comparisons at home with Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.
A contract puzzle Europe’s scouts have noticed
What turns Bartishvili from an intriguing prospect into a genuine market opportunity is his contract situation.
His loan at Iberia 1999 runs until the end of 2026. At that point, he is due to return to Kolkheti Poti – but his deal with the parent club also expires at the same time. That alignment opens the door to a Bosman-style move, with the teenager potentially available on a free transfer or for minimal compensation.
Arsenal have already been linked with a pre-contract offer designed specifically to exploit that window, aiming to position themselves ahead of the pack before his price – and his profile – rise. Reports suggest the London club would be prepared to pay around £2 million to get the deal done, a figure that now serves as a rough benchmark for negotiations.
Just as Arsenal appeared to be edging into pole position, the picture shifted.
“Identical offers” and a crucial decision window
Reliable Georgian outlet “Geo Team” reported on X that three clubs are now actively working on a deal: Arsenal FC, Liverpool FC and Paris FC. According to their information, Bartishvili has not yet reached an agreement with Arsenal, and the playing field remains open.
The report claims that Arsenal and Liverpool have tabled “identical offers”, leaving Paris FC to attack the situation from a different angle. The French club are said to be trying to lure the youngster by promising guaranteed first-team minutes from the very start – a powerful card to play when dealing with a 17-year-old still at the beginning of his senior journey.
For Liverpool and Arsenal, the pitch is different. They can offer the prestige, the stage, the training environment and the pathway that comes with life at the top end of the English game. Paris FC, by contrast, can sell immediacy: the chance to play now, not later.
The timing of any decision will not be instant. Bartishvili and his representatives are expected to make a final call only after upcoming European qualification matches, which he is set to play with FC Iberia 1999. Those games will not just shape his club’s season; they may define the next step of his career.
For now, the numbers are modest, the fee relatively low, the name still unfamiliar to most outside Georgia. But three clubs from three different leagues do not circle a 17-year-old by accident. The question now is simple: who convinces Andria Bartishvili that their shirt is the one he should grow into?
