Fabregas confirms Nico Paz decision for January and reunites with ex-Chelsea teammate: ‘One of the best’ | OneFootball

Como coach Cesc Fabregas confirms Nico Paz will remain at Como in January and even refuses to rule out the Argentine’s stay at the Stadio Sinigaglia in 2026-27.

Como coach Fabregas held a press conference on Thursday, on the eve of a Serie A match against Sassuolo.

Reports from South America have claimed that Real Madrid are already considering bringing Nico Paz back in the January transfer window, but Fabregas confirmed the Argentine would not leave mid-season.

Fabregas: Nico Paz won’t return to Real Madrid in January

COMO, ITALY – OCTOBER 19: Como 1907 coach Cesc Fabregas and Nico Paz of Como 1907celebrate the victory at the end of the Serie A match between Como 1907 and Juventus FC at Giuseppe Sinigaglia Stadium on October 19, 2025 in Como, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

“There’s nothing to say, he’s a Como player and will stay with us,” Fabregas said via TMW.

“Then it depends on what the other club decides. I won’t rule out that Nico stays here next season too. He’s ambitious, and he can have a big career in football, but why can’t he do it here at Como? He’s made us grow, and vice versa. You can see it. You can see if a person is happy from their eyes, and I think that he’s happy here right now.”

Nico Paz is under contract with Como, but Real Madrid have an option to re-sign him in the summer of 2026 or 2027.

Football Italia already reported earlier this week that Nico Paz would not return to Real Madrid in the January transfer window.

Tomorrow’s game against Sassuolo will offer Fabregas the chance to reunite with one of his former Chelsea teammates, Nemanja Matic.

“Nemanja is a player, in the actual meaning of the word. He great man, too,” said the Como boss.

Fabregas reunites with Matic after Chelsea spell

SASSUOLO, ITALY – NOVEMBER 24: Nemanja Matic of Sassuolo celebrates scoring his team’s first goal during the Serie A match between US Sassuolo Calcio and Pisa SC at Mapei Stadium Citta del Tricolore on November 24, 2025 in Sassuolo, Italy. (Photo by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images)

“I had one of my best seasons at Chelsea playing alongside him. He does everything well. He recovers the ball and always does the right thing. It was a gift for me to play with him, even for the way he talks, which is being lost in football these days. He knows how to manage communication with the teammates. He is physically strong, but also excellent at carrying the ball or switching the play. To me, he’s an astonishing footballer, one of the best teammates I’ve had.”

Fabregas had even considered bringing the experienced midfielder to Como: “Yes, but he had a high salary at Lyon. Age had an impact, too; we thought about it, but we then picked younger players.”

Como have only lost one game this season and are three points below a Champions League spot.

“We want to bring forward a project with stability, courage and create an identity,” concluded Fabregas.

“We need consistency to bring ideas forward; otherwise, the future won’t be pretty without clear ideas. For example, we look at what the Primavera coach does and how the team works, not whether they win or lose.