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 .
