Real Madrid to activate €10 million buy-back clause of former academy ace before placing him on the market for €60 million | OneFootball

The Real Madrid transfer news is once again being dominated by Nico Paz, with the Spanish giants preparing to activate their buy-back option for the Argentine midfielder in the coming days.

For much of the season, a return to the Santiago Bernabeu looked like the natural next step after another outstanding campaign at Como. 

The 21-year-old established himself as one of the breakout stars of Italian football, helping the club secure Champions League qualification while attracting attention from across Europe.

Now, according to Sky Sports, Real Madrid are ready to take the first step by triggering the €10 million buy-back clause included in the agreement with Como.

What happens after that, however, is where the story becomes particularly interesting.

New round of talks

Como want to retain Nico Paz. (Photo by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images)

As reported before, a new round of talks is expected on Thursday between Real Madrid and Como, with the Italian club hoping to convince Los Blancos to reconsider their plans for the Argentine talent.

As such, Como want Nico to remain in Italy, ideally for another season. In fact, they are even willing to explore alternative structures that would allow them to retain the midfielder beyond a simple one-year loan.

However, the problem is that Real Madrid appear to have very different plans.

Within the Santiago Bernabeu club, the expectation is that the buy-back clause will be activated shortly, bringing the player back under the club’s full control.

What is Real Madrid’s plan?

Right now, Como are concerned that Real Madrid’s intentions may not involve reintegrating Nico into Jose Mourinho’s squad.

Rather, one of the biggest fears at the Italian club is that Los Blancos could re-sign the midfielder only to place him back on the market.

Real Madrid intend to sell Nico Paz. (Photo by Simone Arveda/Getty Images)

Recent developments suggest that the possibility is being seriously considered, with Real Madrid valuing the player at around €60 million. 

Such a strategy would allow the club to generate a significant profit from a player who has dramatically increased his market value over the past 12 months.

From a business perspective, activating a €10 million buy-back clause before potentially selling the player for six times that amount would represent a major financial success.

That scenario would also explain why clubs across Europe are keeping a close eye on the situation.

Premier League sides and several top European teams have reportedly monitored Nico’s development throughout the season, aware that his future remains unresolved.