Sporting director Robert Fernandez has confirmed that Barcelona will not make a summer bid to sign Nolito.
Widespread reports claimed that Barca made numerous approaches to recruit the attacker from Celta Vigo during the January transfer window.
However, no deal was struck and Fernandez has now revealed that Barca have another unnamed player in their sights.
"The situation during the winter market didn't work out favorably for us in the end," he told Estudio Estadio.
"We felt at one point that the signing was going to materialise and in the end things took a turn and the move wasn't viable. Celta's position finally was a factor in the move not going through.
"A loan deal with a later option to buy? Sure, but in the end Celta resisted and it didn't happen. Now conditions in the market have changed and we find ourselves in a position perusing a different player."
Nolito had a previous spell with Barca between 2008 and 2011, during which time he made five senior appearances before moving to Benfica.