Arsenal eye young midfielder Andria Bartishvili
Arsenal have firmed up their interest in Andria Bartishvili with a pre-contract offer to the young midfielder, but the player still has other options to consider. Sami Mokbel reports for the BBC that Arsenal have made a pre-contract offer to sign Andria Bartishvili, hoping to sign him towards the end of 2026 when his contract expires.
What happened?
Mokbel adds that Bartishvili is believed to have other options and is still to decide on his next move, with Liverpool and Juventus credited with an interest. But Arsenal's Maurizio Micheli is driving the club's move for the youngster, and it seems they're now formalising their interest.
Why it matters for Arsenal
The player's parent club are FC Kolkheti, with both clubs playing in the Georgian football league system. As football in Georgia operates on a calendar-year basis, Bartishvili's loan spell won't end until December. He also may not be eligible to formally sign for Arsenal until March 2027, when he turns 18.
What comes next?
The Georgia u21 international has two goals and three assists in his 24 games for Iberia, with all of those goal contributions coming since he broke into the starting lineup at the start of May. Bartishvili has also played for the Georgia u16s, u17s, u19s, and u21s in his young career, scoring two goals in two games for the u19s in June.
Arsenal's transfer window
Arsenal remain in the market for another attacking addition before the summer transfer window shuts, The Sporting News understands. The Gunners opened the new Premier League season with a 3-0 win over newly-promoted side Coventry City at Emirates Stadium on Friday night.
What is the latest on Mikel Arteta's contract extension?
Arteta's own future is also expected to be resolved in the near future, with Garlick insisting both parties are relaxed about contract negotiations. "Mikel wants to be at Arsenal and we want Mikel at Arsenal. It's only a matter of time before we put that into a new contract. Everyone is very confident and calm. We're just navigating a transfer window and I'm sure Mikel's contract will be resolved very shortly."
League standing (final 2025 table -- new season not yet under way): 1st in Premier League, 85 pts, 26W-7D-5L from 38 games, recent form WWWWW.
The club had previously explored a blockbuster deal for Real Madrid star Vinicius Junior, but the Brazilian has since committed his future to Los Blancos by signing a new contract. Arsenal's next Premier League game is against Aston Villa on 31 August, before they face a home match with Chelsea on 6 September.
