Figo: Held talks with Liverpool after leaving RM, but nothing came of it

Portuguese legend and Ballon d’Or winner Luís Figo has revealed he held transfer talks with Liverpool following his departure from Real Madrid.

Back in 2005, with Figo’s contract at Real Madrid set to expire, the Reds expressed strong interest in the winger. Managed by Rafael Benítez at the time, Liverpool had just pulled off the “Miracle of Istanbul” to claim the Champions League title and were actively looking to strengthen their squad.

In a teaser for the latest episode of The Obi One podcast, hosted by former Chelsea star John Mikel Obi, the 53-year-old opened up about his options after leaving Real Madrid, admitting he had indeed negotiated with the Merseyside club.

“I was in contact with Benítez—he was still at Liverpool back then,” Figo recalled. “But nothing came of it, that’s all.”

Figo ultimately opted to join Serie A giants Inter Milan. During his four-year spell with the Nerazzurri, he helped the club secure four consecutive Serie A titles before retiring in 2009. Notably, this is not the first time Figo has spoken about the failed Liverpool move—he explained why the transfer collapsed in an interview with The Guardian in 2022.

“I actually wanted to go to Liverpool, and we talked a lot,” he said. “One week, they told me ‘No, wait, we can’t do it right now,’ and then they signed a player. After that, they said ‘Give us a few more days, we need to sort this out first,’ but then they brought in another player. I thought to myself: ‘Damn, are you messing with me?’”

“Just then, Inter Milan came in with an offer. I went to Milan, met club president Massimo Moratti, and made my decision. I fell in love with Inter—it was exactly what I needed.”