Chelsea have been following the development of Como attacking midfielder Nico Paz in recent weeks, reports in Italy suggest. It has been revealed that the Blues are monitoring the 22-year-old closely and will continue to do so from game to game.
Chelsea scouts saw Paz play in Como’s 3-2 Champions League loss to Feyenoord and their 3-1 Serie A win over Fiorentina last weekend. The Argentina international responded with his best performance of the season on Wednesday, netting twice and assisting a third in a 4-1 win over Manchester United.
The 22-year-old earned the Player of the Match award after registering all four of his shots on target. He became the youngest Argentine player to be involved in three goals in a Champions League game since Lionel Messi in 2009. He is also the youngest player to score a Champions League brace against United.
The signing of Paz would come at a considerable cost to Chelsea. Real Madrid do have an €80m buy-back clause on their graduate, but Como are expected to ask for more than €100m from other suitors. Como’s valuation could increase further if they finish in the top four again, having booked their place in the Champions League this season.
Where would he fit into the Chelsea system? Cole Palmer and £117m summer recruit Morgan Rogers both play behind Joao Pedro, and Estêvão is another forward who can operate in that area. Nevertheless, Paz can also play as a number eight, which could be a role that the Blues are looking to fill after the deadline-day departure of Enzo Fernández.
While Chelsea are watching Paz, there is no indication that they have made any approach to the player or his representatives. Como, who sit fifth in Serie A, were able to price out Tottenham Hotspur, who were connected with a move for Paz.
Cesc Fàbregas Said Como Want Nico Paz to Stay as Transfer Speculation Rises
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Como boss Cesc Fàbregas has made it clear he has great faith in the player who joined from Real Madrid in the summer of 2024 and helped them finish fourth in Serie A. Paz has scored 19 goals and recorded 17 assists in 75 games for the Lariani before this term started. Those returns helped them to a historic Serie A fourth-place finish on the final day of last season.
Fàbregas told Sky Sports during their open-top bus parade in late May:
> “He’s a very important player for our growth. We’ve grown with him, and he’s grown with us. Let’s see what happens, but we want him to stay.”
The Spaniard, who was linked with a move to his former club prior to Xabi Alonso’s arrival, stayed at Como and was keen to build around Paz.