Liverpool directors fly in to negotiate deal for superb Arsenal target | OneFootball

Liverpool have sent club officials to hold talks for Georgian phenom Andria Bartishvili as they step up their transfer battle with Arsenal, a report has claimed.

Bartishvili is only 17 years old but is already picking up senior game time in his home country and representing Georgia U21s on the international stage. He is a two-footed attacking midfielder who can also play as a left winger or right winger.

Bartishvili has elite potential and is seen as Georgia’s most exciting product since Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, now a two-time Champions League winner.

Bartishvili is on loan at Iberia from fellow Georgian outfit Kolkheti Poti, and he is picking up minutes in Champions League qualifying.

According to Georgian transfer insider Geo Team (as cited by DaveOCKOP), both Liverpool and Arsenal have flown officials to Estonia to watch the starlet live and negotiate a transfer.

‘BREAKING: Arsenal and Liverpool directors have arrived in Estonia to watch Andria Bartishvili in action,’ it is claimed.

‘…Identical contract from both teams for the 17-year-old talent is ready. Everything up to the kiddo and his family.’

Geo Team added in a separate update: ‘I found out that the person who travelled to Estonia from #AFC to watch Andria Bartishvili was Mauricio Micheli. Arsenal’s Head of Scouting was highly impressed by the performances of the 17-year-old Georgian against Flora.’

Scout Bence Bocsak watched Bartishvili as his Iberia side beat Estonian club Flora 3-2 in Champions League qualifying, and he wrote: ‘#LFC target Andria Bartishvili last night. Great ball manipulator, quick feet + change of direction, lots of movement into space, good body orientation and some good link-up play.

‘Decision making needs to improve but the potential is enormous.’

In June, it was claimed that Liverpool, Arsenal and Paris FC are all ‘working on deals’ to sign Bartishvili.

Paris FC can offer him a quicker route to first-team football, though Liverpool and Arsenal will likely put far bigger financial packages on the table.

PSG’s Bradley Barcola is another player to have been linked with both Liverpool and Arsenal.

Liverpool now appear to have a clear run at Barcola as Arsenal are edging closer to signing Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers instead.

Barcola’s entourage are said to be actively exploring a potential transfer to Anfield, though Andoni Iraola’s side will have to pay astronomical money to complete the deal.