Neither Vitinha nor Kees Smit: Florentino Announces Nico Paz Signing with €65M Market Value
Real Madrid isn't waiting for the summer. The club has effectively closed its first reinforcement for 2026, bringing a familiar face back home.
Real Madrid Locks Down Midfield Future for 2026-27
At Real Madrid, the current crisis always dictates the agenda, but this week the urgency has hit a fever pitch. The dismissal of Xabi Alonso, compounded by a Spanish Super Cup defeat and that stinging Copa del Rey elimination by Albacete (3-2), forced the board's hand. Even after a stabilizing 2-0 win over Levante under interim coach Álvaro Arbeloa, President Florentino Pérez has moved quickly to look beyond the current turmoil, finalizing the first strategic pillar of the 2026 project.
As reported by Defensa Central and backed by sources in Italy, Florentino didn't wait for the dust to settle. During the Levante match, he informed the board that Nico Paz's return is sealed. The message to Como 1907 and the player’s agency is clear: Madrid will trigger the buy-back clause of nine million euros immediately following the World Cup.
The "Steal" of the Century: €65M Talent for €9M
From a business standpoint, this is a no-brainer. When Madrid sold Paz to Como in 2024, few predicted such a meteoric rise. His dominance in Serie A has catapulted his valuation to roughly €65 million (via Transfermarkt, Jan 2026). Premier League heavyweights, including Tottenham Hotspur and Inter Milan, were readying bids north of €60 million, but Madrid’s contract foresight has effectively neutralized the market.
"Nico Paz hasn't just played in Serie A; he's owned it. With 6 goals and 6 assists in 21 games, getting him back for €9m isn't just a transfer—it's a heist." —
Under the tutelage of Cesc Fàbregas at Como, Paz has racked up 1,802 minutes, evolving into the team's heartbeat. It was this rapid maturation amidst the tactical grind of Italian football that convinced Valdebebas: he’s no longer a prospect; he’s ready for the Bernabéu pressure cooker.
Paz Eclipses Vitinha and Kees Smit
Bringing Nico Paz home fits perfectly with the club's strategy to revitalize the engine room without breaking the bank. It also means moving on from other tempting, albeit expensive, targets:
- Vitinha (PSG): The Portuguese orchestrator was high on the scouting list, but his renewal until 2029 made him a financial impossibility.
- Kees Smit (AZ Alkmaar): The 20-year-old Dutch prodigy has been turning heads in the Eredivisie (4 goals in 16 games), but Madrid ultimately chose the "homegrown" certainty of Paz over a player needing adaptation time.
The plan is to integrate Paz into the first-team dynamics immediately for the 2026/27 pre-season. Madrid is rushing to finalize the paperwork before the World Cup, fully aware that a breakout tournament for Argentina could send his stock into the stratosphere—making this €9m move look even smarter.