Nico Paz, a backstory pops up on his future away from Como

Como now seems resigned to the idea of losing Nico Paz at the end of the season: in fact, Real Madrid’s buy-back clause is looming over the 2004 Argentine talent. All it will take is 9 million euros next summer to bring back to Valdebebas a player already ready for the big stages and with star potential. It is almost a foregone conclusion that the Blancos will decide to exercise the option.

In hindsight, what had seemed like a bargain for Como – 6 million to secure the young Argentine’s tag – is turning into something of a hoax. But excellent relations between the two clubs suggest that patron Mirwan Suwarso could get much more than the 9 million set by the clause. The key lies in a bid from the last market session and a “gentlemen’s agreement” struck between Como and Real Madrid.

In late August, in fact, Tottenham had come forward with a sensational proposal: 70 million euros to secure Nico Paz. An offer that, however, would have yielded Como only half of the amount (35 million), since Real reserved both the possibility of drawing any offer and 50 percent on the player’s future resale. Still a lucrative deal for Como, but not an ideal one: losing one’s best talent a few days before the start of the championship would have been a hard blow for Cesc Fàbregas, and with that amount of money today it is difficult to find a replacement of the same level.

For this reason, the two managements decided by mutual agreement to reject the shower of millions coming from London. Real, which is increasingly focused on bringing Paz back home, has reportedly promised Como that it would recognize the growth and enhancement work done by the Italian club over the past two years. Therefore, it is likely that, at the end of the season, the parties will meet to renegotiate a more congruous figure for the player’s redemption: a sum between 30 and 40 million, significantly higher than the 9 million clause.

So, while Como is still enjoying Nico Paz’s talent for a few more months, his fate seems already mapped out: a return to Madrid, this time as a star player.