Real Madrid have moved to trigger Nico Paz’s €9 million buyback clause. The option expires on June 30, and the reporting around it suggests this is not simply about bringing him back and handing him a squad place. Madrid’s next move could be to control the sale instead.

The buyback structure Madrid want to use

The most striking part is the structure around the clause. Madrid would then offer Como the chance to re-sign Paz for €60 million, with a new buyback clause of €80 million. That is why the story feels more like asset management than a straight sporting recall.

FIFA rules state that at least 16 weeks must pass between one club buying a player and then selling him again. So any quick flip is ruled out, even if Madrid do decide to activate the clause now.

Fabrizio Romano said Paz’s stance is based purely on sporting reasons, which helps explain why a summer away from Madrid is still in play. AS have also claimed that Paz could be brought back and used as a makeweight in a deal for Inter’s Alessandro Bastoni, although that remains a reported possibility rather than a done deal.

Paz's form has made the clause useful

The reason Madrid can even think this way is that Paz has kept producing at Como. He registered 13 goals and 7 assists in 40 appearances last season, and his recent numbers have stayed lively enough to justify the attention.

Paz has 3 goals in his last 10 matches and 1 assist in that same spell. His average rating across those 10 games is 7.37, with an 8.9 peak in the 3-4 home loss to Inter on 2026-04-12.

Como’s own finish also matters here. They ended the Serie A season 4th with 71 points, and Paz has been part of a side that has moved into the Champions League places. Madrid are buying into that value, not ignoring it.

The real test now is how they use it before June 30. If the buyback is triggered, Madrid will have the option, the leverage and the timing on their side, but not a confirmed plan for what happens to Paz next.

Written by Daniel Hartley with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 5 outlets. How we work →