Manchester United target Nico Paz to lead rebuild under incoming boss Pochettino

Manchester United are preparing to open talks with Como over Nico Paz, the 22-year-old Argentine playmaker they view as the cornerstone of their rebuild under incoming manager Mauricio Pochettino, according to a report from Fichajes.

Pochettino is set to become the eighth permanent Manchester United manager since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement in 2013, stepping down from his role with the United States national team to take the Old Trafford job. United’s hierarchy are reportedly eager to make an immediate statement in the transfer market to signal the start of a new era.

Paz has been identified internally as the eventual successor to club captain Bruno Fernandes. The Portuguese midfielder, 32, delivered arguably his finest individual season last term but has shown signs of decline this campaign, and United are said to be seriously considering life beyond their talismanic No.8 for the first time.

Landing Paz will not be straightforward. When Como signed him from Real Madrid, Los Blancos retained an €80 million buy-back clause along with a 50 per cent sell-on clause on any future transfer — conditions that could significantly inflate the final fee. Como are understood to be holding out for in the region of £100 million for a player they regard as a generational talent.

United face stiff competition. Arsenal are named among the suitors, viewing Paz as the ideal long-term replacement for Martin Odegaard, while Chelsea are reportedly exploring an ambitious plan to pair him with Cole Palmer, Morgan Rogers, and João Pedro. Paris Saint-Germain are said to have intensified contact with Paz and Como as recently as December.

United’s pitch, however, may rest on something none of their rivals can offer: the promise of being the undisputed focal point of an entire project. Pochettino’s track record developing creative midfielders — most notably Cole Palmer and Dele Alli during his time in England — could also prove a persuasive selling point for a player still only 22.

Whether United can compete financially with Arsenal, Chelsea, and PSG remains the central question, but the club’s willingness to enter the race signals that Pochettino’s arrival is expected to come with serious transfer backing.