Como manager Cesc Fabregas has made his preference clear on Nico Paz. He wants the midfielder to stay, even as Real Madrid hold a €9 million buy-back option and reports also float a €60 million sale valuation. Talks are expected in Madrid on Thursday, which gives the whole situation a clear deadline.

Fabregas' case for keeping Paz

Fabregas has been direct about what Paz has given Como. “He is a very important player for our growth. We have grown with him, and he with us. It is an important match, we will see what happens, but our wish is for him to stay with us,” he said.

That view is backed by how the season has gone. Como finished fourth in Serie A with 71 points, and the club are being credited with Champions League qualification after an excellent campaign with Paz in the side. Paz has also turned in a 7.5 rating in his latest league outing, a 90-minute start, while he scored three league goals in his last 10 tracked matches.

Real Madrid and Inter are waiting

Fabregas also made the power structure plain. “Nico is 50% a Como player, but he is ours. The only club that can say anything is Real Madrid,” he said. He added that Paz will not play for Inter, and that he either returns to Madrid or stays in Como next year.

That leaves Madrid with the key decision. Source reports say they had initially planned to exercise the €9 million buy-back clause and bring Paz back this summer, but there is also talk of a far higher resale figure. Inter's interest, meanwhile, depends on Madrid acting first, and their own move would need sales to happen before a €60 million bid could be funded.

The form makes Como's position understandable. Paz has appeared in nine of the last 10 tracked matches, which is the sort of run that keeps a young creator central to a team rather than optional around the edges. Thursday's talks should show whether Madrid keep him in the picture, or whether Como can push the case for another season with him in their team.

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