Why Real Madrid want to sign Nico Paz – Player Analysis

Nico Paz, a 21-year-old Argentine attacking midfielder, has transitioned from Real Madrid to Como, where he has become a key player. Known for his attacking contributions, strong vision, and mobility, he excels in various tactical roles. Despite showing promise, his crossing needs improvement. His potential return to Real Madrid may benefit from his current skill…

INMR

January 13, 2026

4–5 minutes

Nico Paz is a 21-year-old Argentine attacking midfielder who moved early in his career from Real Madrid to Como. There, he stepped beyond the label of a promising prospect to become an outstanding first-team player, while still having significant room to grow.

Attracting interest from several clubs, Paz ultimately signed for Como, where he found a playing style well suited to his strengths. He quickly established himself as a regular starter and one of the most important players in the squad.

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He is a cornerstone of Como’s style of play, frequently dropping towards defenders to help build attacks from deep. He contributes through multiple methods: using his pace in counter-attacks, delivering long passes to exploit space, or combining through short, associative passes to progress play.

In the final third, he remains influential, creating chances through the middle or from wide areas. Paz largely dictates Como’s rhythm and tempo on the pitch. He also adds value through his strong set-piece delivery, particularly from free-kicks, and his ability to shoot from distance.

Standing at 1.85 metres, Nico Paz has an average-to-slim build. Despite this, he performs well in physical contests, using his height effectively in aerial duels and competing strongly in tackles, as reflected by his solid contest-winning numbers.

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He possesses good pace, though he is not among the fastest players. Instead, he excels at carrying the ball under control, using quick touches and sharp dribbles to evade markers. His agility allows him to escape pressure, while his excellent vision enables him to play incisive through balls or accurate long passes over defensive lines, quickly accelerating play from defensive or midfield areas into the attacking third.

Paz generally performs consistently when playing full or near-full matches. He featured in 35 matches during his first season with Como and has already played 20 matches in the current campaign.

Tactically, he operates with considerable freedom, a key feature of Como’s system. This allows him to appear across large areas of the pitch, from deep midfield zones to advanced attacking positions, as reflected in his heat maps from both last season and the current one.

Thanks to his mobility, Nico Paz is highly effective at playing through balls, creating dangerous situations near the penalty area or during counter-attacks. He enjoys controlling the ball and often holds onto it briefly to invite pressure, using his agility to dribble past opponents before releasing the ball. From there, he may spread play wide, play a long ball over the defence, or continue carrying the ball himself.

He also excels in combination play with wide midfielders, full-backs, centre-forwards, and central midfielders. These interactions help destabilise opposition defences by forcing them out of their shape. Paz uses his strength well to shield the ball and create space, advancing play even under physical pressure. His ability to maintain passing quality while being challenged is reflected in his high number of key passes and successful passes in the final third.

The main concern in Nico Paz’s game is his crossing. Given how often he drifts wide and rotates positions, frequently operating as a winger or second attacker, this limitation stands out. He often gets into promising crossing positions but struggles to consistently deliver effective balls into the box, making this an area for improvement.

When Como are defending, Nico Paz is given freedom to operate ahead of two compact defensive lines of four. He shifts laterally across the pitch, typically moving towards the ball side to increase pressure. His defensive output is notable, with strong numbers in tackles and interceptions.

His mobility and defensive statistics underline his contribution without the ball, showing a willingness to work defensively without compromising his attacking influence.

Nico Paz is a rare talent: technically gifted, mobile, and tactically intelligent, while also committed defensively. He is physically competitive, capable of winning aerial and ground duels, and effective at progressing play through dribbling and visionary passing. All of this makes him an outstanding player.

It remains to be seen how he would perform within a different tactical system, away from the environment he has enjoyed at Como. However, a return to Real Madrid could suit him well. Álvaro Arbeloa employs a similar philosophy, prioritising possession, quick combinations near the box, and aggressive pressing, while also embracing fast counter-attacks.

At Real Madrid, Paz would be surrounded by elite attackers such as Vinícius Júnior, Kylian Mbappé, Brahim Díaz, and Rodrygo, whose pace and movement would complement his passing and positional rotations. His style would also align well with Jude Bellingham’s frequent positional interchanges. With Mbappé operating centrally at times and players like Rodrygo and Bellingham drifting wide or into midfield, Paz could further enhance Real Madrid’s rotational attacking structure.

The key question now is how Arbeloa will approach his first opportunity at this level. Will he maintain his principles against stronger opposition than those faced in Primera Federación? And will Real Madrid reassess Nico Paz’s role under a new coach?