Nico Williams labelled 'a gem and a bargain' at €58m as ex-Barcelona and Real Madrid star Luis Figo admits he 'wishes' he was as fast as Athletic Club star

Former Barcelona and Real Madrid star Figo was full of praise for Williams, describing the Spaniard as "a gem" and labelling him to be "a bargain" at his release clause of €58 million (£49m/$67m) in today's market.

Williams broke through Athletic Club's first team in the 2021-22 season. However, it was not before the 2024 Euro that he truly started counting amongst the world's deadliest wingers. The Pamplona-born forward was simply breathtaking for Spain down the left flank and played a major role in the nation's triumph at the tournament. Last season, he scored 11 goals in all competitions for Bilbao and is now expected to complete his move to Barcelona in July.

Speaking to AS, Figo said: "There are a lot of players I like. I'd definitely sign Nico Williams. He's a gem. And in the end, the price, considering what we're paying today, seems reasonable to me. Because of his quality and also because of his youth."

Figo further reflected on which quality of Williams he wish he could have had as a player. He added: "We're different players. He's a player I really like because of his position. I prefer the wingers where I've played. But I wasn't as fast as him; I wish I had been. I'm speaking from a market perspective, because for value and price, I think he's a bargain."

The 22-year-old is walking the extra mile to help Barcelona reach an agreement with Athletic Club, with Deco, the Catalans' sporting director, already confirming that the club is working on Williams' signing. However, Barca will not pay Williams' release clause until July.