Arsenal have made a formal pre-contract offer for highly rated Georgian attacker Andria Bartishvili.
BBC Sport senior football correspondent Sami Mokbel reports that the Premier League club have now submitted the proposal for the Georgia U21 international.
The development represents a significant step forward from the situation reported in June, when Arsenal were preparing a pre-contract offer and talks over a potential move were already underway.
Arsenal turn interest into formal offer
Bartishvili remains under contract with parent club FC Kolkheti until the end of 2026 and is currently playing on loan at Iberia 1999 in the Georgian top flight.
The 17-year-old has already established himself in senior football despite his age and has also broken into Georgia’s U21 setup.
Arsenal’s formal proposal now moves their interest beyond monitoring and preliminary discussions, although there is no indication yet that an agreement with Bartishvili has been completed.
The Georgian attacker has attracted attention from several clubs across Europe, meaning Arsenal may still face competition for his signature.
A major opportunity for Bartishvili
Bartishvili is a versatile attacking player capable of operating centrally or from wide areas, combining close control and dribbling ability with the confidence to receive and progress the ball in tight spaces.
SkyrScout recently added a full scouting profile on the Georgian prospect, analysing his technical qualities, attacking potential and areas for further development.
A move to Arsenal would represent a major step from Georgian domestic football into one of Europe’s biggest academy and development environments.
For now, the important development is that Arsenal’s interest has become concrete: a formal pre-contract offer is now reportedly on the table.
Watch scouting video and read the full profile
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