Barcelona sporting director Robert Fernandez has confirmed the Catalan club are looking into bringing back Gerard Deulofeu in the summer.
Deulofeu signed for Everton for €6 million in 2015 in a deal which included various clauses which would allow Barca to re-sign the winger.
That didn't look likely given the Spanish international's form at Goodison Park, but his career has come back to life following a January loan move to AC Milan.
"Deulofeu is absolutely an option for the future," Fernandez told TV3 on Saturday after Barca's 3-2 win over Real Sociedad in La Liga.
"The club are firmly considering the option to bring him back to play for the first team next season."
Barca have until the end of June to decide if they want to execute a clause which would allow them to sign Deulofeu for €12m.
Reports in the local press had suggested pushing the move through was a no-brainer, because even if they couldn't find room in the first team they would be able to sell him on for an even higher price.
However, speaking in 2015 when the original transfer was completed, then-Everton boss Roberto Martinez explained that Barcelona would not be able to sell Deulofeu immediately if they ever decided to re-sign him.
"If they take him back they can't sell him for a season, so he has to stay in the first-team squad for a season," Martinez said.
"At the end of that if they decide to sell him we have got first rights of getting him back or we have got a big percentage of that deal."
Any decision to sign Deulofeu may be influenced by who is chosen to replace Luis Enrique at Camp Nou, with the new manager likely to have an input in how the squad is shaped for next season.
Deulofeu has made 12 Serie A appearances since joining Milan on loan, scoring two goals and providing three assists.
His form has seen him return to Julen Lopetegui's Spain squad and he played a large role in March's 2-0 win over France.
Having progressed through Barca's academy, Deulofeu failed to break into the first team on a regular basis and was subsequently sent on loan to Everton and then Sevilla.
In 2015 he was then sold to Everton on a permanent basis, although he found opportunities hard to come by this season under former Barca player Ronaldo Koeman and was allowed to leave for Italy in January.