Despite being one of Castilla’s most highly regarded players, Nico Paz has struggled to get going understanding Carlo Ancelotti.
His quality on the field has never been in doubt for he has regularly shone for the first team when given the chance. The unforgiving competition in midfield, however, has not helped him find continuity with the first team.
Departure not ruled out
Given the serious competition for a starting spot in Real Madrid and the natural struggle for minutes that will come with the same, Paz is considering a departure from the Merengues as revealed by Fabrizio Romano.
The Italian journalist adds that the coming days will be crucial in deciding his future and next destination if indeed it is his final decision to leave the club.
As it stands, it remains unknown if Los Blancos will approve his departure on a permanent basis or push for a loan with or without a purchase clause.
In any case, it is clear that the men in white will attempt to maintain some leverage over his future.
A mixed pre-season
Real Madrid’s recently concluded pre-season campaign in the United States served as a platform for several young players to prove their worth to Ancelotti.
Paz was one of the players hoping to do the same on tour, especially given the absence of key players including Federico Valverde, Eduardo Camavinga and Aurelien Tchouameni.
Despite the relatively reduced competition, the Real Madrid Castilla star enjoyed only 92 minutes of action across the three games and it was clear that the manager did not count on him much.
Last season, the 19-year-old made three appearances for Los Blancos in the UEFA Champions League and four in La Liga. In that process, he scored one goal and averaged 92% pass accuracy.