Como playmaker Nico Paz impressed in his first season in Serie A, picking up the Young Player of the Year award, and this season he has gone from strength to strength under Cesc Fabregas. The general consensus is that Real Madrid intend to bring him back to the Santiago Bernabeu next summer, but they will not be without competition.
Los Blancos retain a 50% sell-on fee on Paz, and have a €9m buyback option on the Argentina international, and thus stand to benefit from his next move regardless. However his impressive form seems to be earning him a chance back at Real Madrid, although Los Blancos tend not to make final decisions on transfers until May.
Inter open talks with Nico Paz over €58m move
Como and Real Madrid have good relations, and as noted by Diario AS, Sporting Director Carlablerto Ludi has stated publicly that he expects Real Madrid to exercise their buyback option. However TyC Sports, as carried by the Madrid-based paper, say that Inter are keen to tempt Paz into a move to the Giuseppe Meazza.
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Previously Paz’s father has been seen meeting with Inter Director Javier Zanetti, whom he played alongside for Argentina in his own playing days. The Argentine outlet explain that Inter have opened talks with Paz’s camp over a potential move for next summer, and are willing to pay a minimum of €58m for Paz.
Power lies with Real Madrid – and Paz
Ultimately, Real Madrid can activate their buyback clause regardless of Inter’s movements, and thus the power remains with them. The only caveat would be if Inter could persuade Paz to make the switch to Milan instead first, and then negotiate from that position. One of the reasons that Los Blancos decided against moving for Paz this past summer was that they had decided to bring in Franco Mastantuono, a player who plays in the same position.
Were Paz to move back to Madrid, he would currently face competition for his spot from Mastantuono, Arda Guler, Jude Bellingham, Fede Valverde and Brahim Diaz. That may be the biggest obstacle to persuading Paz to return to the Spanish capital, with the Argentine clearly keen to play.
