Man City Target Como Star Nico Paz as Bernardo Silva Successor

Manchester City are plotting a summer swoop for Nico Paz as Bernardo Silva’s replacement, SportsBoom can reveal. 

The Portuguese playmaker’s nine-year stint at the Etihad is expected to come to an end this summer with no talks over a contract extension currently taking place.

City chiefs have been running the rule over the best young prospects in world football as they seek an ideal replacement for 31-year-old Silva.

Paz, ten years Silva’s junior, has been a standout performer under Cesc Fábregas at Serie A Como this term. 

The Argentinian international has bagged nine goals and six assists as Como have risen to fourth in the league.

Paz is a similar player profile to Silva, with his ability to play in tight spaces of huge appeal to Pep Guardiola as he looks to a future without Silva.

Silva’s departure would be another player from City’s famous treble-winning campaign to leave the club. 

During his time on the blue side of Manchester, the club have won six Premier League titles, a long-awaited Champions League, as well as nine other domestic trophies.

But Real Madrid hold the key to Paz’s future and could pip former Barcelona manager Guardiola to one of the brightest prospects on the planet.

The Spanish giants hold a crucial buy-back clause from where they sold Paz to Como for €6million back in 2024 and could land the starlet for just €9million, much less than City would be willing to pay for the player’s services, if they activate the clause this summer.

Inter Milan are also understood to be hugely interested in taking the youngster to Italy.

Moving Parts 

Speaking about the player’s future after a breakout season, former Real Madrid defender Raphaël Varane, now a director at Como, said: “At the moment we are enjoying Nico Paz, but his continuation does not depend on us or on him.”

“I’d tell him to stay where he feels happiest. But unfortunately, neither he nor we have much say in the matter; it all depends on Real Madrid’s wishes.”