Nico Paz, aged 20, currently plays for Como, the newly promoted team in Serie A. On January 19th, Como's head coach, Fabregas, highly praised Nico Paz: If Real Madrid does not exercise their buy-back option, we will reject offers ranging from 40 million to 50 million euros.
Last summer, Nico Paz left Real Madrid to join Como. His transfer fee was only 6 million euros, but the contract stipulated that if there were two transfers, Real Madrid would receive a 50% share, and additionally, Real Madrid had the right of first refusal.
After leaving Real Madrid and arriving in Serie A, the 20-year-old Nico Paz has clearly grown. In the 2024-25 Serie A season, as an attacking midfielder, Nico Paz made 18 appearances, contributing 3 goals and 4 assists. Last October, Nico Paz was also selected for the Argentine national team, making his debut for the Tango Army.
Como is positioned as a relegation battler, while Nico Paz is the team's offensive core, with a valuation of 20 million euros by Transfermarkt, the highest in the team. In Fabregas' 4-2-3-1 formation, Nico Paz plays as an attacking midfielder, taking on the role of an offensive playmaker. In Serie A, Nico Paz averages 1.8 key passes and 1.9 successful dribbles per game, ranking among the top in the team.
Fabregas, the head coach of Como, gave a high evaluation of Nico Paz. At the press conference on Saturday, he talked about Nico Paz: "Nico is a Como player, and Real Madrid can buy him back, but they must pay the set transfer fee. He is very young, and we have a very good relationship with his family. Here, both Nico and his family are very happy."
"Nico is our trump card; we hope he can play here for many years. Whether it's the club president or all the players, everyone likes him. If Real Madrid does not exercise their buy-back right, Como will not sell him - even for offers of 40 million or 50 million euros. We build our team around young players, and in the next 3-4 years, Como will remain competitive."
Nico Paz's contract with Como expires in 2028, and the team indeed has no intention of selling Paz - even if Paz were to transfer for 50 million euros, Como would only receive 25 million. Real Madrid's attack line is not short of quality players, and Paz's position overlaps with Bellingham's, meaning he could only be a substitute if he returned to Real Madrid. For the 20-year-old Paz, training in Como might be a better choice.