At 22, Nico Paz is something clubs don’t often get to say: a player worth fighting over, and one who chose to stay put.
From Madrid’s Academy to Lake Como
Paz came through Real Madrid’s academy and moved to Como in August 2024. Madrid let him go, but they made sure to keep a hold on his future with a buy-back clause. Few expected how quickly he would justify that caution.
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A Breakout Season That Made Europe Look
Last season turned him from prospect into star. He made 35 Serie A appearances, scoring 12 goals, which was tied for the fifth most in the league, and added six assists. That’s a creator who is also a major shooting threat, a rare mix for an attacking midfielder. More importantly, Nico’s performance in the ongoing season for Como in Serie A is developing as impressively as the previous season.
The Real Madrid Question
The summer was dominated by talk of a return to the Bernabeu. Madrid held a buy-back clause, and reports said they intended to use it. Instead, the two clubs and the player reached a new deal. Madrid confirmed in a statement that the agreement was made at the player’s own request and that it keeps a unilateral buy-back option on his rights for the 2027-28 season. The financial details were not disclosed, though Spanish reports have put the figures at around €60 million to Como and about €80 million to re-sign him.
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And Nico’s Own Choice
Paz was clear that this was his own choice. He told reporters that staying at Como rather than returning to Madrid was his decision, not the club’s. In his statement, he called Como the club that gave him the chance to grow into the player he is today. He also described the year ahead as crucial to his career.
A Champions League Stage
Staying has already paid off. His Champions League debut earned him a place in the record books: he is the youngest Argentine to assist two or more goals in a Champions League game since Lionel Messi in October 2008. That early-season form, one goal and two assists in his first four appearances, showed he could handle Europe’s biggest stage.
What Comes Next
Next summer is the big one. Madrid’s interest hasn’t gone away, though the current picture is complicated. With Jude Bellingham and Arda Guler as Jose Mourinho’s options at No. 10, there’s no obvious need for another advanced playmaker. But as the same report points out, you can never rule out a surprise purchase at Real Madrid. Other clubs will be watching closely too.
For now, the story is simple: a young Argentine playmaker, in form, in Europe, and with a decision to make in 2027.
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