Arsenal have been given ‘optimism’ in their bid to sign top attacking target Nico Williams despite failing to land the Athletic Bilbao star in the summer.

Williams was the Gunners’ first choice winger this summer as Mikel Arteta looked to bolster his attacking options at the Emirates, but the Spain international decided to stay with Athletic Bilbao despite huge interest from Arsenal, as well as Chelsea and Barcelona.

The 22-year-old has a £50m release clause in his contract with the La Liga club which Arsenal – like the other interested parties – were ready to trigger before Williams pulled the plug.

Reports suggested Arsenal were still pushing to sign Williams even after he made the call to stay put, but Fabrizio Romano later revealed that Edu and his transfer team made no late approach as they respected his decision to remain loyal to his boyhood club.

Arsenal instead signed Raheem Sterling from Chelsea on loan for the season and will cover less than half his wages after Blues boss Enzo Maresca made it clear the England international was no longer part of his plans.

But a GIVEMESPORT report claims ‘plans are already being made for future reinforcements’ with ‘Sterling only brought in as a short-term option’.

It’s claimed Arteta ‘is still scouring the market for a long-term addition who is capable of being an upgrade on Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard’.

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Williams remains his top target and talks over the summer have given the Gunners hope over a future move. The report adds:

‘Arsenal are seriously considering whether to up the ante for Williams next year, according to GMS sources, because he was their standout attacking target throughout the summer transfer window and they were given fresh optimism that he would be open to completing the switch as he opted against totally ruling out joining the north Londoners.

‘The Gunners are aware that the winger has a release clause worth in the region of £50million written into his Athletic Bilbao contract, and they will continue monitoring his performances over the course of the campaign before potentially leaving the La Liga outfit helpless by stumping up the cash.

‘Although Arsenal did not receive true encouragement from Williams’ camp to follow up their interest with a proposal, GMS sources have been informed that he has not shut down the prospect of making the move further down the line, and the capital club are circling after Sterling has only been brought in as a short-term option.’

‘GMS recently revealed that Williams’ wage demands were one of the factors that made it difficult for Arsenal to pounce ahead of last week’s transfer deadline, but they have refused to lose hope of eventually convincing him to walk away from boyhood club Athletic Bilbao and test himself in the English top flight for the first time in his career.’

Arsenal are said to be well aware of the threat Barcelona pose in beating them to his signature but ‘they will continue monitoring his performances’ and are ‘adamant that they are among the frontrunners for Williams’ services if he embarks on a fresh challenge at the end of the season’, with the assumption that ‘he will eventually move onto pastures new’.