Real Madrid and Como have officially locked in a new deal for Nico Paz. The 21-year-old Argentine will spend the 2026-27 season back in Italy, and Madrid has a buy-back option waiting for summer 2027. The whole thing, the club said, was done at Paz’s own request.
The numbers here are wild. Como paid just €6 million for him back in 2024. Now they’re buying out the remaining 50 percent of his rights for €60 million. That values Paz at €120 million overall. And if Madrid activates that buy-back next summer, it’ll cost them €80 million. Not bad for a kid who left the Bernabéu two years ago for pocket change.
Why Paz Wanted to Stay
Paz posted on Instagram about the decision. Said he spent weeks thinking about it. “After many weeks of reflection, I have decided that the best option for my career at this time is to stay at the club for another year,” he wrote. “The club that gave me the opportunity to grow and become the player I am today.”
He called it a unique opportunity to keep developing under Cesc Fàbregas, who’s been coaching Como since 2024. Paz has thrived there. Three seasons under Fàbregas have turned him into one of Serie A’s more dangerous midfielders. The system fits him. He has freedom to roam, pick passes, and even drift wide to create chances.
Madrid could have brought him back earlier. There was a previous buy-back clause at €9 million, but they never pulled the trigger. That’s probably because Paz wasn’t quite ready to compete for a starting spot in Carlo Ancelotti’s midfield. Now? Different story. He’s got 120-plus Serie A appearances under his belt. He’s an international for Argentina. And he’s going to walk into whatever club he chooses next summer as a proven commodity.
The €80 Million Question
Will Madrid actually pay it? That’s the thing. The buy-back is unilateral only for 2027. After that, it likely expires. So Los Blancos have one window to bring him home, and it’s going to cost them €80 million. That’s not a small number even for a club that spent big in recent years.
But look at it this way. Madrid developed him. They sold cheap. They watched him ball out in Italy. Now they can either bring back a ready-made player for €80 million or let him go somewhere else for even more. The market for a 22-year-old Argentine midfielder with Champions League experience will be massive. Como knows it. That’s why they agreed to this structure.
For now, Paz stays in Como. Fàbregas gets his best player for one more run at European qualification. And Real Madrid gets to wait. The clock is ticking.
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