TBR Football can reveal that Chelsea have asked about Nico Paz, who is one of the most wanted players in Europe, but Real Madrid are insistent that he is returning to the Santiago Bernabeu.
Paz was a target for Tottenham Hotspur in the summer, but despite being at Como, his future is in the hands of his former club, Real Madrid.
Madrid have several clauses tied into the deal for the Argentine, who moved to Como in 2024.
Paz has been nothing short of sensational since joining up with Cesc Fabregas’s side, and this season alone has arguably been Serie A’s standout player with eight goal contributions from his 10 games.
Spurs tried to sign Paz, and Real were willing to let him go to London, but it would have been a glorified loan as the Spanish giants insisted on retaining a £40million buy-back clause.
Exclusive: Chelsea ask about Nico Paz but Real Madrid plan return
We can now reveal that Chelsea, who are in the market for a new attacking midfielder heading into 2026, have made enquiries.
We have previously revealed that Morgan Rogers is one of Chelsea’s top targets, with club chief Joe Shields looking to be reunited with the England star after he signed him for Manchester City.
However, Rogers aside, Chelsea are doing work on other options, and we can confirm that one of those is Paz.
Chelsea have been watching Paz, and they have been hugely impressed, underlining what they already knew about the 21-year-old.
The Blues have subsequently made enquiries, but like with Spurs, they have found out they are basically wasting their time.
And the main reason is not just because of Real Madrid’s stance, but the player’s – Paz wants to prove himself at the Santiago Bernabeu, having only played a handful of first-team games.
Our chief correspondent, Graeme Bailey, confirmed: “Nico Paz is standing firm. Real have told him he is coming back, and he believes he is going to be a key player for them in the near future.
“But I can confirm that Paz is really attracting interest now. Spurs have never gone away, but now Chelsea have asked about him. They have really liked what they have seen, but the message back was that he has his heart set on Real.
“We know that Liverpool and Manchester City have also looked, so safe to say if Paz does not head back to the Spanish capital, there is a very good chance he would be EPL-bound.”