Manchester City have reportedly joined Arsenal and Inter Milan in the race to sign Como star Nico Paz.
After spending eight years on the books at Real Madrid and making only eight senior appearances, including four last season, Paz opted to seek pastures new in search of regular game time and joined Serie A outfit Como on a permanent deal last summer.
Managed by Cesc Fabregas, Como paid around €6m to sign Paz, who has established himself as a key first-team midfielder, scoring six goals and providing four assists in 23 Serie A appearances.
The 20-year-old's impressive performances in Italy are understood to have caught the eye of several top European clubs, with Fabregas's former club Arsenal and reigning Serie A champions Inter said to be interested in signing the youngster this summer.
According to Fichajes, the manager of defending Premier League champions' Man City, Pep Guardiola, is personally interested in luring Paz to the Etihad Stadium.
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Guardiola ken to lure Paz to Man City
The report adds that Man City are currently one of the most interested clubs in Paz, who has been described as 'one of the great revelations' in Italian football this season.
Guardiola, who is said to be 'in love' with the Spanish midfielder, sees him as a player with 'enormous potential' and he may ask Man City's board to make a 'significant offer' to secure his signature this summer.
Man City are known to be on the lookout for younger players as they bid to address their aging squad, and they have already begun their squad rebuild after spending around £180m on Omar Marmoush, Nico Gonzalez, Abdukodir Khusanov and Vitor Reis in January.
The Citizens could step up their pursuit of someone like Paz if 33-year-old Kevin De Bruyne, who is out of contract this summer, decides to leave the club.
As well as Paz, Man City are also understood to be interested in Bayer Leverkusen's Florian Wirtz and Atalanta BC's Charles De Ketelaere amidst uncertainty over the future of De Bruyne.
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Real Madrid ahead of Man City in race for Paz?
However, Man City may face stern competition for Paz's signature from the player's former club Real Madrid.
Indeed, Fichajes reports that Los Blancos inserted a buy-back clause into Paz's deal when they sold him to Como and they plan to activate it this summer.
Real Madrid president Florentino Perez is said to be seriously considering bringing Paz back to the Santiago Bernabeu, but they would look to send him out on loan to another club.
It remains to be seen whether Paz would approve such a move and would likely need to be given assurances that he would be quickly integrated into Real Madrid's first-team plans after a spell out on loan.
Oliver Thomas
