Nico Paz stays! Como agree to €60m Real Madrid proposal as La Liga giants add a bigger buy back clause to deal

In a dramatic transfer twist, as reported by La Gazzetta dello Sport, Como have agreed to re-buy Paz from Real for a substantial €60 million fee. The Italian side moved decisively to prevent the Spanish giants from activating their original cut-price buy-back option before the looming deadline. This record-breaking financial outlay ensures the highly-rated Argentine playmaker will remain by the lake for at least one more season, anchoring the squad ahead of their historic debut campaign in the Champions League.

Paz, 21, has been a vital cog for Como over the last two seasons. Last season, he netted a whopping 12 Serie A goals as the lakeside club sealed a place in the Champions League. Madrid were expected to trigger their clause and add him to the squad for next season, while Inter had been interested in paying the Spanish giants' premium asking price to snap him up this summer, but Como have acted quickly enough to ensure he remains part of Cesc Fabregas' squad for the time being.

The complex negotiations required a structural overhaul of the initial agreement that brought the academy graduate to Italy for just €6 million two summers ago. In that original deal, Los Blancos held a 50% sell-on fee alongside incremental buy-back clauses for three seasons, with the second deadline of €10m looming next Tuesday. Madrid, looking to raise immediate capital for incoming manager Jose Mourinho's project, used this leverage to negotiate the new €60m package structured across four annual instalments, while establishing a revised €80m buy-back option for next summer.

Como must now balance this immense financial investment with Financial Fair Play regulations as they continue to build a competitive squad for a gruelling multi-front campaign. Retaining their brightest jewel provides a monumental psychological boost for the club's passionate supporters ahead of an unprecedented European adventure at the Stadio Sinigaglia. Attention turns to the upcoming summer transfer window, where management will look to secure defensive reinforcements to complement Fabregas’s star-studded midfield unit.