Como officially approves Nico Paz deal in €60m Madrid switch
Como 1907 has officially approved the Nico Paz deal, agreeing to pay Real Madrid €60 million for full ownership of the 21-year-old Argentine midfielder. Real Madrid exercised its €9 million buyback clause first, then sold Paz back to Como while retaining an €80 million buyback option for summer 2027. The green light ends weeks of transfer-market tension and locks one of Europe's hottest young talents at Cesc Fàbregas's Serie A side.
Key Takeaways
- Como has formally accepted Real Madrid's terms to keep Nico Paz on a permanent €60 million transfer.
- Real Madrid netted roughly €51 million after triggering a €9 million buyback before the resale.
- The sale ranks among Real Madrid's biggest-ever player exits, behind only Ronaldo, Di María, Casemiro and Morata.
- Madrid kept an €80 million buyback clause for 2027 plus a right of first refusal on any future move.
- Inter Milan and Atlético Madrid had both tracked the midfielder before Como closed the deal.
What did Como officially agree to?
According to Diario AS, Como has given the official yes Real Madrid was waiting for after days of negotiations in Madrid. The Italian club will pay €60 million to acquire 100% of Nico Paz's rights.
The structure was deliberately complex. Real Madrid first activated the €9 million buyback clause written into the original deal, briefly bringing the academy graduate back under club control. Madrid then immediately offered Como the chance to buy him outright at the higher price.
Nico Paz had made clear he wanted to stay in Italy rather than return to the Bernabéu this summer. Under Cesc Fàbregas, he became a central figure for a Como side that earned a historic Champions League qualification.
Why does the deal matter financially for Real Madrid?
Mundo Deportivo reports the operation enters Real Madrid's select club of biggest sales in club history. At €60 million gross — roughly €51 million net after the buyback step — Paz becomes the fifth-most expensive departure ever, ahead of Mesut Özil's €47 million move to Arsenal and behind Álvaro Morata's €66 million Chelsea transfer.
Only Cristiano Ronaldo (€100m), Ángel Di María (€76m), Casemiro (€70m) and Morata rank higher. For a 21-year-old academy product, that is a remarkable return after Madrid exercised a €9 million buyback and immediately flipped the sale.
AS adds that Madrid did not walk away empty-handed on future control. The club secured a unilateral €80 million buyback option valid in summer 2027, along with a right of first refusal if Como accepts an offer from another club. That structure lets Madrid bank cash now while keeping a path to re-sign Paz if he continues his rise.
Who else was chasing Nico Paz?
Interest stretched well beyond Lake Como. Dorsal16 reported that Inter Milan was prepared to offer around €70 million to bring Paz to San Siro, making the Nerazzurri a serious rival in the bidding war.
Atlético Madrid also entered the picture. According to the same outlet, Diego Simeone spoke directly with Pablo Paz, Nico's father and a former Argentina colleague, to gauge whether the midfielder would consider a return to the Spanish capital with the Rojiblancos.
Real Madrid, however, had always planned to monetise the asset. AS reported that the club's strategy centred on exercising the cheap buyback and then selling at a premium, rather than integrating Paz into José Mourinho's new squad this summer.
What happens next for Nico Paz?
Paz remains with Argentina at the 2026 World Cup while the paperwork is finalised. The 21-year-old scored 13 goals and provided eight assists for Como last season, form that made him one of Serie A's breakout stars.
He will now lead Como into their first Champions League campaign under Fàbregas. Madrid, meanwhile, has room in its squad planning and a fresh €51 million windfall — with the option to bring a homegrown talent back in 2027 if the price is right.
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