Real Madrid decide to trigger Nico Paz's €8 million buyback clause -report
Real Madrid product Nico Paz is set to return to the Spanish capital as Los Blancos have decided to pay the €8 million buyback clause on his contract with Como, according to reports from both MARCA and AS.
Paz had a breakout season in the Serie A this year and while Madrid could've waited two more years to bring him back, they've decided to pull the trigger now, as coach Xabi Alonso is high on his potential and believes Paz can add some depth to the midfield line.
Advertisement
Real Madrid will still be monitoring the transfer market, with Stuttgart pivot Angelo Stiller being one of the main candidates to sign for the club over the next few months. Los Blancos want to seriously upgrade their squad and they have been very busy since the end of the 2024-25 season.
Paz will be expected to be available for the upcoming FIFA Club World Cup, assuming Real Madrid, Como and the player's agents complete the deal.
More from managingmadrid.com:
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
42 minutes ago
- Yahoo
‘Unstoppable' Man United player fuels speculation with clear transfer hint on holiday
Manchester United striker Marcus Rashford has been linked with a move away from the club this summer, and he continues to drop hints regarding a potential move to Barcelona. The player is currently away on a holiday in Marbella, and he spoke to Spanish journalist Gerard Romero regarding his future. Advertisement The 27-year-old was asked if he wants to play alongside the Barcelona and Spanish international forward Lamine Yamal, and he replied that every player wants to play alongside the best, and therefore, he would relish the opportunity to team up with the mercurial Barcelona star. Barcelona move on the cards? When asked if he wants to play with Lamine Yamal, he said: 'We all want to play with the best. Yes, of course. Hopefully, we'll see.' More Stories / Latest News 'Unstoppable' Man United player fuels speculation with clear transfer hint on holiday Jun 22 2025, 6:26 Man United could now sign 'lightning' forward with left foot 'like a wand' for £21m Jun 22 2025, 6:09 From Italy: Two Serie A rivals now going head-to-head in pursuit of Utd star, one will 'do everything' to sign him Advertisement Jun 21 2025, 15:20 Marcus Rashford could be a very handy option Marcus Rashford's exit seems likely. (Photo by) Rashford was on loan at Aston Villa during the second half of last season, and it seems that he does not have a future at Old Trafford. It will be interesting to see if Barcelona come forward with an offer to sign him. He is versatile enough to operate anywhere across the front three, and he could be a useful acquisition for them. They need more depth in the final, and England International has the quality to improve them. He was regarded as one of the finest attackers in European football a few years ago, and it remains to be seen whether he can recapture that form and confidence. Former Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag labelled him as 'unstoppable' once. Advertisement Joining one of the biggest clubs in the world will be attractive for any player, and it is no surprise that Rashford is angling towards a move to the Spanish champions. There have been rumours that he is willing to take a pay cut to join the Spanish club. The 27-year-old scored four goals and picked up six assists in 17 matches for Aston Villa. It remains to be seen whether Barcelona can sign him for a reasonable amount of money.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Euro 2025: Norway team guide – can a new head coach help them finally reach their potential?
A team with superstar potential that has never found the chemistry required to live up to it — that is the reputation Norway are attempting to disabuse this summer. Recent tournament history is not kind: they were dumped out of the Euro 2022 group stages after an 8-0 thumping by eventual winners England, then knocked out in the round of 16 in the 2023 World Cup by Japan, the latter overshadowed by off-pitch drama with former manager Hege Riise. Advertisement New head coach Gemma Grainger has imbued calm since taking charge in January 2024, but the 1991 World Cup champions need to prove they belong among the continent's elite. Who is the manager? Grainger was Wales' national team head coach between 2021 and 2024, before replacing Riise just two months before the Euro 2025 qualification campaign. The 42-year-old's coaching journey spans Leeds Women, Middlesbrough and the England youth development system. She was also part of the England senior coaching team for Euro 2017. The Middlesbrough-born coach is a big proponent of team bonding exercises and is known to bring in keynote speakers during camps and gift individual players motivational books. How do they play? Grainger deploys a back four, with variations on a 4-4-2 diamond and traditional 4-3-3. She prefers her sides to control possession and build up patiently from the back, but against more dominant opponents, she has learned when to concede on principles and attempt to turn Norway into a sharper team in transition. But her preference is to play slick, attacking football. Who are their three most influential players? A number of Norway's players have a case to be included here, but the headline acts are Barcelona forward Caroline Graham Hansen, Chelsea midfielder Guro Reiten and midfielder Ingrid Engen, who recently signed with OL Lyonnes from Barcelona. Advertisement Graham Hansen thrived in Spain during the 2024-25 season, notching 21 goal involvements (11 goals, 10 assists) across 22 league appearances. Few players can match Reiten's creativity, but she endured a stop-start season for Chelsea due to injury. Even so, she featured in 24 matches across the Women's Super League (WSL) and Champions League, scoring 10 goals and helping the club to a historic domestic treble. Engen has long been one of Norway's most important players, but her efforts with Barcelona in defence and midfield mean her vision, versatility and ability to break up play and transition into attacks are now appreciated on a global level. Other influential players include Atletico Madrid's Vilde Boe Risa and Manchester United duo Celin Bizet and Elisabeth Terland, who both enjoyed a positive 2024-25. Bizet contributed two goals and six assists, and Terland 10 goals and five assists as United finished third in the WSL. What is their biggest strength? Norway's attacking strength is significant. As mentioned above, Graham Hansen and Reiten are amongst the world's best, the former making a strong case each year to be considered the world's best player. Veteran striker Ada Hegerberg is still a force to be reckoned with, while Manchester United duo Bizet and Terland represent the next generation. That is all without mentioning Boe Risa or Arsenal's Frida Maanum. The latter scored 13 goals and provided four more across 41 appearances in all competitions this season. What weakness might other teams be able to exploit? Chemistry has been the missing ingredient for so long and it still feels that this will be the key issue heading into the Euros. Despite a plethora of quality players, Norway still struggle to sew their strengths together, mostly due to the fact Grainger has not been able to field a consistent starting XI for almost the entire time she has been in charge. Without any friendlies in the calendar, Grainger has also had to prioritise results over experimentation. Any notable absences? Reiten's return to full fitness before the end of the domestic season is a huge plus for Norway. At the moment, the squad look to be heading into the Euros at full strength, which is something Grainger has not had the pleasure of saying for some time. What is their strongest starting XI? How have they performed over the past 12 months? Since Grainger took over in January 2024, Norway have lost just two of their 15 matches. However, they have drawn five and against higher-ranked opponents, such as France and the Netherlands, they have yet to find victory across six matches, while also drawing with Italy and Finland. They finished second in their Nations League group but were 10 points behind leaders France, a sign of the gap still needing to be bridged. What are they expected to achieve at these Euros? Norway were drawn into a favourable group alongside hosts Switzerland, Iceland and Finland. The expectation is that they should top the group comfortably and advance to the knockout stages. From there, question marks emerge. Advertisement While Norway have looked more cohesive since Grainger's arrival, they still do not seem to be operating at full throttle and results have not yet been as convincing as they should have been. They drew twice with Iceland in their Nations League group, albeit they got the better of Switzerland twice. There is clearly scope for a surprise or two. Did you know? Grainger is a big fan of darts. In fact, the Middlesbrough-born coach loves any pub sport. Her favourite darts player at the moment is 18-year-old prodigy Luke Littler. Norway have twice won the Euros, doing so in 1987 and 1993. They also won the Women's World Cup in 1995 and the Olympics in 2000. However, it is now a quarter of a century since the team lifted silverware on the international stage. This article originally appeared in The Athletic. UK Women's Football, Women's Euros 2025 The Athletic Media Company
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Euro 2025: Iceland team guide – tactical coaching and Champions League experience give an edge
Iceland's women's national team has been a regular at the European Championship since 2009. Their best finish was a successful quarter-final run in 2013. In its most recent showing at Euro 2022 in England, Iceland failed to make it out of the group after drawing all three games. Despite also not qualifying for the 2023 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, they still rank 14th in the world as of June. The (Our Girls) are entering the Euros in Group A with Norway, Finland and Switzerland. Who is the manager? Thorsteinn Halldórsson has been in charge of the Iceland national team since 2021. The team extended the 57-year-old's contract through 2026, with clauses involving the 2027 Women's World Cup in Brazil. Advertisement Halldórsson is experienced in domestic Icelandic men's and women's soccer leagues, having coached a variety of local clubs since 1994 before taking the national team job. He won the Icelandic Championship three times with Breidablik women's team and took the side to the last 16 of the Champions League in 2019. In Euro 2025 qualifying, his Iceland side defeated Germany (3-0) and Poland (3-0), and he is a tactical coach with an emphasis on mental resilience and structure. Before he started coaching, he made more than 150 appearances as a defender in Iceland's top flight. How do they play? Halldórsson typically lines up in a 4-3-3 that suits Iceland's direct, pragmatic style. Long balls through the middle allow their midfield trio to converge, win possession and reset the attack. In the final third, they rely on wide players to deliver cutbacks or crosses aimed at late-arriving runners just inside the box. Advertisement Their long throw-ins are a weapon, disruptive, hard to defend, and often unexpected. It's a safety-first setup: even in transition, they wait for support before committing forward. It's simple but can be effective with a squad that includes Champions League-level talent. They've struggled to score recently, including five scoreless matches in the last eight. Who are their three most influential players? Iceland's captain, Glódís Viggósdóttir, earned her first career trophy two years ago, winning the 2022-23 Frauen Bundesliga with Bayern Munich. The centre-back has since won two more league titles with the German club. She also made history as the first Icelandic player to be nominated for the Ballon d'Or Féminin. Forward Sveindís Jane Jónsdóttir, who signed with NWSL's Angel City FC last month through 2027, is another key player. The 23-year-old was previously with Wolfsburg in Germany, where she scored 22 goals and recorded 16 assists in 93 competitions over four seasons. Wolfsburg were Champions League finalists in 2023, falling to Barcelona 3-2. Advertisement Another player to watch out for is Dagný Brynjarsdóttir, who is an experienced midfielder with more than 100 caps. Ever-present and gutsy, she helped Iceland into the Euro 2013 quarter-finals while nursing a broken foot. What is their biggest strength? Iceland's defense is compact, physical, and aerially dominant, both in open play and set pieces. However, they have only kept three clean sheets in their last 10 matches. At the same time, their counterattack, fueled by midfield grit, is capable of winning turnovers and scoring quick opportunities, as they showed against Germany in the qualifiers. What weakness might other teams be able to exploit? Iceland relies heavily on playing direct. When opponents control the midfield, press high and cut off those vertical routes, Iceland struggles to progress the ball or retain meaningful possession. They can be pinned back, forced into deeper positions and cut off from creative outlets. Advertisement If anything, over-reliance on Brynjarsdóttir for durability could be a concern late in the tournament. She's crucial for leadership and box-to-box play, but she's 32 years old with a heavy cap load. If she fades or is marked out, Iceland's spine weakens significantly. Any notable absentees? No major injuries have been reported recently and the squad that featured in the May/June 2025 Nations League is expected to arrive in Switzerland at full strength. What is their strongest starting XI? How have they performed over the past 12 months? Iceland beat Poland (3‑0) and Germany (3‑0) in Euro 2025 qualifying, but drew 1‑1 in key away matches. They battled through a 0‑0 draw with Switzerland and Norway in the Nations League and lost 3-1 twice in two friendlies with the U.S. last October. Their friendly against France was a close one, but they did not close the gap and lost 3-2. What are they expected to achieve at these Euros? Iceland are in Group A with Switzerland, Finland, and Norway. They are the highest-rated team, but will face hosts Switzerland and their Scandinavian neighbors Norway, who have more standout pieces. Finland may be their best chance. A win over Finland seems likely, a draw with Norway is realistic, and aiming for an upset over Switzerland is possible. Advertisement If everything goes according to plan, they could easily reach the quarter-finals. Unlike the team in 2022 (0 points, 3 draws), they have a stronger squad. They just need composure in tight finishes. Did you know? This marks Iceland's fifth consecutive appearance at the Euros, a testament to their consistency in continental play. In qualifying, they made history as the first team to defeat Germany by a three-goal margin in a competitive match since Brazil's 2008 Olympic semifinal triumph. Despite their progress, Iceland has never qualified for a Women's World Cup. This article originally appeared in The Athletic. Iceland, UK Women's Football, Women's Euros 2025 The Athletic Media Company
