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Who is Nico Paz: the rising Serie A star wanted by Europe’s elite?
There are players who announce themselves with a whisper and those who do it with a bang. Nico Paz has been somewhere in between – the kind of young footballer whose quiet consistency and sudden moments of invention have turned heads across Italy and beyond.
The 21-year-old attacking midfielder has become Como’s talisman and is already widely regarded as one of Serie A’s most exciting young playmakers. His stock has risen quickly.
By December, he had been directly involved in five goals and five assists in 13 league appearances, a contribution rate that underlines how central he is to Como’s attacking identity and is by far the most in the league.
Paz’s backstory is part of the reason scouts circle him with such regularity. Born in Santa Cruz de Tenerife in 2004 and developed through Real Madrid’s famed youth system, he moved through Castilla before joining Como in 2024.
He carries dual cultural credentials – Spanish upbringing, Argentine international eligibility – and those layers show up in his game: technical comfort, a low centre of gravity in possession and an appetite for intelligent late runs into the box.
The move to Como was never intended to bury him; it felt like a stage in a larger plan. Real Madrid reportedly inserted a buy-back clause when he left – giving Los Blancos an option to bring him back in future windows – and the Spanish giants monitored his progress closely after he took to life in Italy with impressive speed.
Multiple outlets have documented Madrid’s continuing interest and the existence of a contractual mechanism allowing them first refusal for a predetermined fee in coming seasons. That tether to Real Madrid has only amplified the transfer chatter.
On the pitch, Paz is a modern fantasista. He is most comfortable between the lines, combining short, sharp passing with the capacity to carry the ball and commit defenders. The left-footed youngster has a knack for set-piece deliveries and long-range strikes that catch keepers unprepared.
Cesc Fabregas, Como’s manager, has leaned on Paz as both creator and finisher; in a standout performance against Juventus in October, he assisted the opening goal and sealed a 2-0 win with a composed solo effort, a match that crystallised his emergence on the big stage.
Interest has predictably followed. Reports linking Paz to Europe’s elite – from Real Madrid contemplating the buy-back to English clubs and Italian giants keeping tabs – have been frequent throughout 2025.
Media outlets in Spain, Italy and England have all suggested bids and scouting missions have taken place; Como have reportedly rejected sizeable offers as they weigh up the best path for both the club and the player.
@Como_1907
Whether any suitor will meet Como’s expectations – and whether Paz himself is ready for another leap – are open questions.
There is a temptation with young talents to fast-forward the movie: to imagine them at Bernabeu or Old Trafford overnight. Paz’s season so far argues for steadiness.
He has shown he can produce in Serie A, in fixtures that matter, and the combination of creative vision and end product suggests there’s more to come.
Clubs will keep watching and buyers will keep calculating. For now, Como have a gem to enjoy.
For the wider football world, Nico Paz is a name to remember.
How to watch Serie A on DAZN?
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You can watch Serie A games via the DAZN App, available on smart TVs, phones, tablets, streaming devices, games consoles and web browsers.
If you do not have the App already, then just follow these instructions....
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