Nico Paz has told Real Madrid he will stay at Como for one more season, putting off a return that had been discussed in recent weeks. The decision leaves Real Madrid's plans for the midfielder on hold while the club still holds a buyback option that runs to 30 June.
The choice matters now because the deadline is close, and because Paz is trying to protect the one thing he wants most at this stage of his career: minutes. AS reported that he chose to continue his development in Serie A, where he believes he can keep playing regularly and keep an important role. That is the path he preferred over a move back to Real Madrid, even though that return had looked possible not long ago.
Paz's call is also tied to the season he just had at Como. He stood out, helped the club qualify for the Champions League for the first time and earned a place in Lionel Scaloni's list for the 2026 World Cup. Under Cesc Fàbregas, he found the kind of responsibility that can be hard to guarantee in a bigger squad, and that helped shape the choice he has now made.
The friction is clear in the background. Paz had recently expressed a desire to go back to Real Madrid, but changes in the squad made it harder to see a leading role for him next season. The move that changed the picture was not a promise of more time on the pitch, but the opposite: the sense that playing time in Madrid would not be secure. AS put it plainly, saying Paz wants to play, be important and that the recent moves at Real Madrid made minutes look far from simple for him.
What happens next is in Real Madrid's hands. The club can recover Paz for 10 million euros, but only until 30 June, and any permanent transfer elsewhere would still need its approval. Real Madrid also retains a preferential option on him until 30 June 2027, while Como keeps a player who has already shown he can change the level of a team. For now, the deal has moved from a return to a pause, and the pause lasts only as long as the buyback clock allows.
