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Barcelona’s top priority for the summer transfer window just a few months again was crystal clear: bring in a top midfielder to fix one of the glaring weaknesses in the starting XI.

The rumor mill then promptly came up with a deluge of names including Guido Rodriguez, Joshua Kimmich, Amadou Onana, Mikel Merino and Martin Zubimendi to name just a few.

Fast forward a few months and all that seems to have been forgotten. Nico Williams is now the club’s No. 1 target, while Dani Olmo seems to be the back-up option.

Quite where, or why, the priorities changed is unclear. Are Barcelona simply being reactionary after seeing Williams and Olmo star at Euro 2024? Or can they simply not find what they are looking for within a limited budget?

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After all Zubimendi is expected to cost around €60 million, Onana appears to be heading to Villa for a similar amount and even Mikel Merino is expected to set any team back €25m.

Yet there were some free transfers floating around too. Rodriguez has said goodbye to Betis after his contract expired and a certain Adrien Rabiot is also on the market after walking away from Juventus.

There is another possibility too. After seeing Pau Cubarsi and Lamine Yamal light up the starting XI last season, are Barcelona hoping La Masia will come to the rescue once again?

It would be a massive ask for Barca to rely on youth in such a crucial position. Then again, such is the talent that has been emerging from the academy in recent years maybe it’s not such a bad idea after all.

Marc Casado has already effectively been promoted, while Marc Bernal isn’t far behind. Both have been training with new manager Hansi Flick already and he’s already confessed to being blown away by the youngsters he’s been working with.

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There’s also Oriol Romeu to think about. He had looked set to depart but all signs are now pointing to the fact Flick is willing to give him a second chance despite a pretty poor first campaign back at the club last time out. Perhaps Andreas Christensen will be back in midfield again next season too.

We will undoubtedly get more of an insight into Flick’s thinking in the next few weeks when Barca play their first pre-season friendlies in the United States. With funds tight and priorities having switched, it could be that after months of speculation, Barca don’t end up signing a midfielder after all.