Real Madrid have spent big on emerging young playmakers in recent years, with Arda Guler and Franco Mastantuono costing in excess of €75m over the last two summers. Next year Los Blancos are already eyeing a bargain signing to add to their creative talent.

The player in question is Nico Paz, who was heavily linked with a return to the Santiago Bernabeu this summer, but club, player and manager made the call that he should continue at Como this season. Paz had a promising debut season in Serie A, and has started off this year in the same vein.

Continuity at Como good for development

Los Blancos had an €9m buyback option on Paz this summer, which increases to €10m next year. The feeling was that with Guler impressing Xabi Alonso and Mastantuono also arriving, Paz’s battle for minutes might not be beneficial for his development. In spite of talk of major offers from England, Real Madrid had no information of any formal offers.

Some Nico Paz magic gave Como the opener in #ComoGenoa ✨

— Lega Serie A (@SerieA_EN) September 16, 2025

Real Madrid to return for Paz in 2026

Meanwhile Fabrizio Romano has stated that Real Madrid plan to reach an agreement to bring Paz back in the near future, and this could even be as soon as next summer. Los Blancos were keen for Paz not to go to Tottenham Hotspur this past summer, as they were keen to bring him back at some point, and believe he can be a part of the side down the line.

Real Madrid have plans to bring in Nico Páz back already from 2026 🤍🇦🇷

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) September 16, 2025

Paz’s near and long-term future

It is not yet clear whether Real Madrid could end up leveraging their position to sell Paz. Given the presence of Guler and Mastantuono, fitting all three into the line-up is no easy task for Alonso. It may also have influenced Paz’s decision that he is competing for a spot in Argentina’s World Cup squad, and continuing at Como may be the safest option to continue doing so.