Nico Paz’s stay at Como is set to be decided in Madrid boardrooms rather than on the Serie A table, with club president Mirwan Suwarso stressing that any move, even if Como reach the Champions League, depends on Real Madrid’s stance on the 21-year-old Argentine playmaker.

Paz joined Como from Real Madrid in 2024 and has become central to Cesc Fabregas’ plans, leading the squad for Serie A goal involvements this season with 18 contributions, made up of 12 goals and six assists, while also creating 51 chances across the league campaign.

Real Madrid inserted a buy-back clause when agreeing Paz’s transfer, and the expectation around Como is that the Spanish club could trigger that option during the upcoming summer window, meaning Champions League football alone may not be enough to keep the playmaker in Lombardy.

Suwatso made clear that any final decision rests with the European champions rather than Como’s league finish, stating to Gazzetta, as reported by Football Italia: “No, it all depends on Real Madrid,” underlining that Champions League qualification is not the decisive factor in this case.

Como are currently sixth in Serie A with two games left and have already secured a place in European competition for next season, while sitting just two points behind fourth-placed AC Milan, meaning there remains a realistic possibility of a late push into the Champions League positions.

Fabregas, who has guided Como into contention for Europe, believes one more campaign in Serie A with the same club would serve Paz’s development best on and off the pitch, given the close bond that has formed between coach and player during the season.

Speaking to Partidazo COPE, Fabregas expressed both affection and caution about planning too far ahead with his playmaker, stating: “Nico Paz. He is like my son,” Fabregas told Partidazo COPE. “Another year in Como would be very good for him. But we have not talked or discussed his future yet.”

Across Serie A matches from the start of last season, Paz has delivered 32 goal involvements, placing fifth in the league over that period, a return that underlines why Real Madrid are monitoring the situation closely and why Como view the Argentine as a key attacking reference.

Nico Paz, Como squad strategy and Real Madrid context in Serie A

Regardless of whether Real Madrid recall Paz, Suwarso is planning for a busy summer that must balance competitive goals with financial discipline, as Como prepare for European football and seek to strengthen the squad without losing the identity that has carried the club into the top half.

Suwarso outlined the broader project, explaining: “We already have a strong identity. The core of the team is already there. There will be 23 players returning from loans, and we’ll have to find the best solution to make our transfers sustainable,” he said. “The focus is not on how money is spent, but on making a club profitable and sustainable. The target is to do so in the next two or three years.”

The president also wants a stronger Italian presence within the Como squad but highlighted the difficulty of signing domestic players at current prices, noting: “We are always looking for more Italians. We bought four in our first Serie A season,” he said. “The problem is that they are expensive and we cant pay them in instalments. We are developing four or five Italian players who we hope will be ready for the first team. I like many of them, but we can’t afford them.”

Como’s plans for European competition, their careful approach to squad building and the effort to integrate more Italian talent all unfold while Real Madrid decide whether to exercise control over Paz’s future, leaving the club to prepare for multiple scenarios as the end of the Serie A season approaches.