Messi’s $80M Argentina teammate reportedly eyed by Tottenham after Maddison’s ACL setback
In recent days, Tottenham have received two major setbacks ahead of the 2025–26 season. First, Son Heung-min left the club after a decade to join Los Angeles FC in Major League Soccer. And now, they’ve received confirmation that James Maddison has sustained a serious ACL injury and will be sidelined for an extended period. To fill the attacking void, the Spurs have reportedly targeted one of Lionel Messi’s Argentina teammates.
“Como received and rejected a €40 million offer from Tottenham for Nico Paz,” reported journalist Gianluca Di Marzio. The English side have shown interest in the 20-year-old attacking midfielder, who made his debut with Real Madrid and impressed last season in Italy’s Serie A.
While the initial bid from the Spurs may seem significant, Como are expecting a much larger payout for one of their brightest young talents. “The club values the player at €70 million (over $80 million),” Di Marzio added. “Therefore, an offer of at least €60 million would be needed to begin negotiations.”
Paz has already shown the potential to become a global star in the near future. He played eight matches and scored two goals for Real Madrid in the 2023–24 season, in which the club won the UEFA Champions League. Over the past year with Como, he exploded onto the scene—appearing in 36 matches, scoring six goals, and providing nine assists.
His form in Serie A and his growing potential earned Nicolas a call-up to the Argentina national team. He made his official debut in October 2024 in a 6–0 win over Bolivia in a South American qualifier for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. During that match, Paz played 17 minutes and assisted Lionel Messi on one of the goals.
Real Madrid keeping close watch on Paz
The negotiations for Nico Paz don’t just involve Como and Tottenham—Real Madrid also have a strong interest in his future. Although the player hasn’t been on their roster for a year, Los Blancos still have a stake in any potential deal.
“The Spanish club, if the offer is accepted by Como, can decide to match this amount or collect 50% of the sale,” reported Di Marzio. Last summer, Como paid €6 million for Paz, but as part of the agreement, Real Madrid secured the right to buy the Argentine midfielder back, having priority over any other club if they match the offer. Otherwise, they’re entitled to 50% of the transfer fee.
Another option for Tottenham
Even before James Maddison’s injury, Tottenham had been in the market for an attacking player this summer. Nottingham Forest’s Morgan Gibbs-White was one of their targets—some reports even suggested the deal was nearly done—but negotiations eventually collapsed.
Now, with an even greater need to reinforce the attack, and after Como’s initial rejection regarding Nicolas Paz, the Spurs have set their sights on another option. Footitalia reports that the target is Charles De Ketelaere, a 24-year-old Belgian midfielder from Atalanta, valued at €35 million according to specialist site Transfermarkt.
However, negotiations with the Italian side won’t be easy. “Given La Dea have already lost last season’s Serie A top scorer Mateo Retegui, and are expected to sanction the sale of Ademola Lookman to Inter Milan, luring De Ketelaere to north London will be a difficult operation,” Footitalia added.