Nico Paz Chooses Como Over Immediate Real Madrid Return

Nico Paz has reportedly decided to stay at Como this season rather than re-join Real Madrid, ensuring regular minutes in Serie A while the European champions integrate new Argentine wonderkid Franco Mastantuono.

Nico Paz and the allure of consistent game time

Nico Paz, fresh from helping Castilla earn promotion to Spain’s second tier, wants a campaign of uninterrupted senior football. At Como he is already pencilled in as the creative fulcrum of Cesc Fàbregas’ ambitious project and is expected to start in his preferred No. 10 role. Regular minutes are a guarantee the 19-year-old cannot yet count on at the Santiago Bernabéu, where established stars and big-money arrivals currently block the pathway.

Primary focus keyword appears here: Nico Paz faces fierce Bernabéu competition

Real Madrid’s midfield is stacked. Jude Bellingham, Federico Valverde, Eduardo Camavinga, Aurelien Tchouaméni and Arda Güler already rotate behind the striker. Last week the club agreed a €45 million deal in principle for 17-year-old Franco Mastantuono, who is tipped to be Vinicius Jr’s next Argentine-born attacking partner. For Nico Paz, Mastantuono’s impending arrival adds another name to a crowded depth chart.

Mastantuono signing shifts the landscape

While Mastantuono will not join until January at the earliest, his signature signals that Florentino Pérez expects world-class output from his teenage recruits immediately. Coaches Carlo Ancelotti and, from 2025, Xabi Alonso, will be under pressure to distribute minutes judiciously. Nico Paz fears fleeting cameos and Copa del Rey starts would stall the development curve he painstakingly plotted with his father, former Tenerife defender Pablo Paz.

Fàbregas factor makes Como irresistible

Playing under Cesc Fàbregas offers a masterclass in tempo, timing and third-man runs—skills Nico Paz hopes to refine before returning to the Spanish giants. The World Cup-winning Spaniard trusts him with set-piece duties and a free-roaming license between the lines. Como’s recruitment of Andrea Belotti and Ashley Young further bolsters a side capable of hunting mid-table security, giving Paz a balanced environment to experiment without relegation anxiety.

Como’s ambitious owners back youth

American investors have earmarked the Lago di Como club as a “Serie A disruptor.” Training-ground upgrades, analytic-driven scouting and a cultural emphasis on Italian-speaking multilingualism help young expatriates settle quickly. Nico Paz has even begun intensive Italian lessons, an off-field detail Madrid officials privately applauded as evidence of his mature mindset.

Real Madrid return remains on the horizon

Sources close to Los Blancos stress that the club still view Nico Paz as a long-term midfield solution. His buy-back clause can be activated next summer, and scouts will monitor every Como performance via Wyscout and in-person visits. The plan: allow him to rack up 2,500-plus Serie A minutes, gather big-game experience against Inter, Juve and Napoli, then evaluate integration prospects when Luka Modrić’s contract finally expires.

Financial pragmatism aligns with competitive reality

Keeping Paz off the wage bill for another season helps balance Madrid’s books as they prioritise Kylian Mbappé’s €24 million nett salary and the stadium refinancing plan. Moreover, UEFA’s new squad cost ratio rules encourage elite clubs to externalise development costs where possible. A loan or low-risk transfer with repurchase clauses—already used for Brahim Díaz and Fran García—fits Real’s evolving blueprint.

How Nico Paz’s decision affects Real Madrid’s depth chart

In the short term, Ancelotti’s 2024-25 options remain robust without Nico Paz. The Italian manager can deploy a 4-3-1-2 with Bellingham at the apex or switch to a diamond that maximises Tchouaméni’s anchoring skills. Arda Güler’s promising pre-season further diminishes the urgency to recall the Argentine-Spanish starlet. Long term, however, club planners believe Nico Paz’s taller frame and ability to strike from distance provide tactical variety lacking in diminutive creators like Brahim.

What this means for Spain’s national setup

Although born in Tenerife and eligible for La Roja, Nico Paz continues to represent Argentina at U20 level, mirroring the path of Mastantuono. Consistent Serie A action may accelerate a senior Albiceleste call-up, adding a spicy subplot to future Spain-Argentina friendlies. That dual-allegiance subplot is precisely why Madrid hope to convince Paz to switch federations once he becomes a Bernabéu regular—an argument that gains credibility only through playing time.

Nico Paz’s season targets at Como

• Appear in at least 32 league matches
• Reach a double-digit goals and assists combined tally
• Develop positional intelligence under Fàbregas’ mentorship
• Elevate defensive work-rate to meet Madrid’s gegenpressing benchmarks

Success in these metrics would almost certainly trigger his Real Madrid return clause, although the final say rests with the player, whose inner circle insists mental readiness trumps romantic reunions.

Comparing developmental pathways

Brahim Díaz’s Milan excursion and Martin Ødegaard’s English odyssey show Madrid’s renewed trust in the ‘loan-and-buy-back’ ecosystem. Nico Paz joins that lineage, albeit with the added twist of potentially sharing a future dressing room with his direct competitor, Mastantuono. Rather than fear the challenge, insiders say the pair maintain cordial relations, having crossed paths at youth invitationals. Friendly rivalry, they believe, can elevate both talents.

Market implications for other La Liga clubs

Valencia, Villarreal and Real Betis had expressed tentative interest in a loan for Nico Paz. His choice of Como effectively removes a high-ceiling option from the domestic talent pool. That void could nudge such clubs toward alternatives like Las Palmas prodigy Alberto Moleiro or Girona’s Arnau Martínez, slightly skewing the Spanish market dynamics.

What happens next?

July: Nico Paz completes preseason at Como, absorbing Fàbregas’ tactical sessions.
August: Serie A debut away to Bologna; Real Madrid analysts dispatch first scouting dossier.
October: Madrid directors visit Como’s training ground during the international break.
January: Mastantuono officially registers with Real Madrid; comparative progress reports commence.
May: Real evaluate activating buy-back clause, factoring in squad injuries and contract renewals.

Opinion: A smart detour, not a rejection

Nico Paz’s choice is less a snub to Real Madrid and more a pragmatic detour designed to maximise growth. Modern football favours well-timed steps over sentimental leaps. With Serie A’s tactical rigor and Fàbregas’ mentorship, Paz could return to the Bernabéu sharper, stronger and ready to coexist—not compete—with Mastantuono. In a sport where minutes equal mastery, the teenager’s patience might prove his most valuable asset.