There are few more attractive destinations in world soccer right now than Como 1907, and the cornerstones of Cesc Fàbregas’s exciting project by the Italian lake have no desire to move on.
Buoyed by the unique alignment of the hierarchy, Fàbregas has helped convert the ambitious club into Champions League competitors. Como returned to the top flight in a little over 20 years in 2024 and have swiftly established themselves among Italy’s best.
A fourth-place finish last season meant they beat historic powerhouses Juventus and AC Milan to a Champions League spot, and Fàbregas’s dynamic outfit celebrated their debut in the competition by thumping RB Leipzig 4–1 to begin the 2026–27 league phase.
Ex-Real Madrid starlet Nico Paz has understandably garnered much of the attention, but Como’s stunning collective is why they’ve ascended to such heights so quickly. Fàbregas is extracting the maximum from every single one of the players at his disposal, and plenty of clubs have suffered from seller’s remorse after dealing with the Lariani.
None more so than Real Madrid, who maintain a unilateral buyback option on Paz after reaching an agreement with Como and the player in June for him to stay in Italy this season. It‘s not just the Argentine playmaker who Los Blancos want to get their hands back on, though.
Ramón Currently Not Considering Real Madrid Return
Real Madrid let center back Jacobo Ramón join Como for a mere $3 million in the summer of 2025, watching the 21-year-old develop into one of Europe’s finest young defenders under Fàbregas’s tutelage. Fabrizio Romano reported at the time that Madrid had added a 50% sell-on clause as part of the deal, as well as three buy-back clauses—similar to what they did with Paz.
And Ramón is thriving in Italy. He‘s been a mainstay of Como’s defense since joining the club, playing a key role in their Champions League qualification last season, making 32 Serie A appearances.
Things were never so plain sailing for the young Ramón at Madrid, despite the then-teenaged defender holding his own while breaking into the senior set up. Ramón spent much of his time with the Castilla, but did play six times for the first team before moving on.
Madrid certainly didn’t suspect such a rapid rise, and, according to AS, they’re already thinking about bringing the 21-year-old back next season. However, Madridista Ramón currently has no desire to leave Como. As AS puts it, “his priority is to play and feel important wherever he is.”
Ramón reportedly rejected the chance to return to the Spanish capital this past summer, and even if Los Blancos could buy the defender back for as little as $10.2 million next year, the final decision will ultimately rest with Ramón himself.
Arsenal and Chelsea Have Shown Interest in Como Defender
Ramon’s rise has unsurprisingly garnered the attention of the financial beasts that reside in the Premier League, too.
The AS report states that Arsenal and Chelsea are also interested in the 21-year-old defender. Both are led by Spanish managers, and Xabi Alonso, of course, briefly worked with Ramón during his time on the touchline at the Santiago Bernabéu. The Athletic reported in June that Ramón was among the center backs Chelsea considered before they decided on Crystal Palace’s Maxence Lacroix.
Alonso’s Blues have been utterly porous at the start of his tenure in west London, with reinforcements in defense seemingly inevitable next summer.
Arteta, meanwhile, rarely goes through a summer window without signing a defender, although few Gunners supporters would currently suggest that more bodies in their backline should be prioritized next year.
