"I would sign him, for sure. He is a gem" - Luis Figo wants Real Madrid to sign Barcelona target

Real Madrid and Barcelona legend Luis Figo has gone on record to state that Los Blancos would be better off if they sign Nico Williams, who their arch-enemies from Catalonia have long targeted. Speaking to Diario AS, via Football Espana, Figo heaped praise on Williams.

The ex-Portugal international, who won LaLiga titles with both Barcelona and Real Madrid, but the UEFA Champions League only with the latter, also mentioned that Williams seemed affordable to him. The player in question had a good season with Athletic Bilbao in 2024-25, scoring 11 goals and bagging seven assists.

“There are many players I like. I would sign Nico Williams, for sure. He is a gem. And his price seems affordable to me, considering the money that is spent nowadays. He would be a good signing because of the quality he has, and also because of his youth,” said Figo.

Figo, who was a winger as well, mentioned that although Williams is a different player, he likes the Spaniard due to the position he plays in. Williams usually operates on the left flank of his team's attacking unit, but is often seen interchanging his position with the attacking midfielders or other wingers.

“We’re different players. He’s a player I like a lot because of his position. I like wingers, as it was where I played better (in my own career). But I wasn’t as fast as him, I wish I had been so fast,” he added.

Real Madrid will have to steal Nico Williams from under rivals Barcelona's eyes

Williams had earlier indicated a desire to leave Athletic Bilbao this summer, and this has led Barcelona to swoop in and attempt to sign him. Recent reports indicate that the Blaugrana will be able to beat the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea and Bayern Munich for his signature in the ongoing transfer window (via Metro).

Reports also say that Barcelona have reached a verbal agreement to activate his €60 million (£50m) release clause. Now, for Real Madrid to heed their iconic player Figo's words, they will have to steal this deal from under their rivals' eyes. Figo would know a thing or two about this, as he played for both clubs during his prime.

For the record, however, Madrid have been quite busy in the transfer market. They have already signed Trent Alexander-Arnold from Liverpool, Dean Huijsen from Bournemouth and Franco Mastantuono from River Plate. Alvaro Carreras is another player who is expected to head to the Santiago Bernabeu this summer.

Edited by Sankalp Srivastava