Real Madrid are more than well-known for doing astute business in the transfer market. They include so many special clauses in their Castilla players' contracts that get them some amount of profit, adding up to a lot over time.
They are also very good at selling players just before their peak ends, as was seen with Raphael Varane and Casemiro in the past. Even Cristiano Ronaldo wasn't quite the same when he left the club in 2018, but I guess that was also because of different reasons.
The former part of this astute business could have got the club 20 million euros without selling a single player.
Real Madrid could have made this much money without selling a single player
Real Madrid sold Nico Paz to Como last season, and included a 50% sell-on clause that would get them half the transfer fee for any club Paz is sold to from Como, if that ever happens.
Gianluca Di Marzio just reported that Spurs put a bid of 40 million euros on the table for Paz, but Como rejected the offer. They want 70 million euros.
Real Madrid, if Como had accepted it, would have received half the transfer fee, which comes down to 20 million euros.
That is business that they could have made without even selling a single player. Obviously, they would lose out on their rights over Paz, but they would have made a fat profit on the player.
Selling him to Como was profitable in the first place, but this would have taken it to another level.
I don't know just how much need there is for Paz at Real Madrid anymore. He is an unbelievably talented player - no doubt about that - but they already have so many players fighting for the same minutes Paz will take up.
Arda Guler, Franco Mastantuono, Rodrygo, Brahim Diaz are players who are probably going to take that one spot in the starting lineup or off the bench. Add Paz to the situation and it becomes tough to see why the club would want him back in the first place.
Paz is too talented to sit on the bench, and if Real Madrid hadn't signed Mastantuono, then it would've made complete sense to bring him back. Now, not so much.
Hopefully, either there is a place for him in the future, or he forces a place in the squad with his performances. Worst case, Real Madrid will make a big profit as soon as Como are ready to sell - whenever that is.