Nico Paz Reveals the Real Reason He Turned His Back on Real Madrid

Nico Paz has disclosed that his decision to remain at Como rather than head back to Real Madrid this summer was his own choice, not one made by Los Blancos.

The 22-year-old attacking midfielder initially joined Como in 2024 after progressing through Madrid's youth academy.

The young talent, who made eight appearances for Madrid's first team prior to the transfer, impressed throughout his first two seasons in Italy and was awarded Serie A's Best Midfielder for 2025–26 after netting 12 goals and contributing seven assists.

During the summer transfer window, speculation was rife that Madrid would trigger a €9 million ($10 million) buyback clause to bring Paz back, but the youngster ultimately remained at Como, who restructured his contract to retain their prized asset.

The Serie A outfit agreed a €60 million ($69.5 million) settlement to eliminate the existing buyback terms along with other clauses, securing the player on a deal running through 2028.