3 hours ago
8
Real Madrid is playing hardball with Como over the future of Nico Páz, and the Italian club has until Monday to decide whether it wants to pay €60 million to keep the Argentine midfielder. If Como doesn’t pull the trigger, Páz heads back to the Bernabéu, and the Serie A side walks away with a €10 million consolation prize.
The deal structure, explained
Real Madrid sold Páz to Como for €6 million back in August 2024. The deal included a buy-back clause worth approximately €9-10 million, giving Madrid the option to reclaim the player at a fraction of his market value.
The June 29, 2026, deadline is the key date. Como can lock in Páz permanently by agreeing to the €60 million price tag. If they don’t, Real Madrid activates the buy-back, brings Páz home for roughly €10 million, and then explores the open market where his price could climb even higher.
Transfermarkt currently values Páz at €65 million. So if Madrid reacquires him for €10 million and flips him for anything close to market value, the math works out spectacularly well for the Spanish club. In that scenario, Como would receive €10 million as part of the arrangement.
If Como does agree to the €60 million permanent deal, Real Madrid could reportedly insert a new buy-back clause worth approximately €80 million. Even after paying a massive fee, Como still wouldn’t have full control of the player’s future.
What Páz actually wants
The player himself has reportedly expressed a preference to stay at Como for the 2026-27 season. Páz wants Champions League football and a guaranteed starting role. Going back to Real Madrid means competing with one of the deepest midfields in world football.
The vultures are circling
Páz’s situation has attracted attention from multiple Premier League clubs and Inter Milan. Existing regulations reportedly prevent Real Madrid from immediately reselling a player after activating a buy-back clause. The restriction lasts up to 12 weeks.
What this means for everyone involved
For Como, Monday represents one of the most consequential financial decisions in the club’s modern history. Paying €60 million for a single player is a massive commitment for a club that only returned to Serie A recently. But letting Páz walk means losing their key player and settling for €10 million. The potential €80 million buy-back clause that could accompany the permanent deal would mean Madrid retains the option to reclaim him later at a set price.
For Real Madrid, they sold a young player for €6 million, let another club develop him, and now stand to profit regardless of the outcome. If Como pays €60 million, Madrid books a significant gain and keeps a future buy-back. If Como doesn’t pay, Madrid gets the player back for €10 million and can sell him at market rate.
Disclosure: This article was edited by Editorial Team. For more information on how we create and review content, see our Editorial Policy.
English (US) ·