Swedish papers talks about an agreement between Figo and Reals new president as the reason the player choosed Real, of all clubs (a choice wich seems most irrational to me). The story goes like this:
Figo was to negotiate a new contract with Barca. To put presure on the Katalonians, he signed a contract with one of the candidates for the president's chair at Real - a candidate Figo never thought would win the elections, but who in the end came up on top. Since the deal was that Figo would either join Real in the event of an election triumph, or pay some 242 million SEK (20 million £(?)) to Real, Figo almost HAD to join the Madrid club.
This sounds like a somewhat amazing story, I know. On the other hand - in this one he joins Real not to LOOSE a fortune. If he joined Real just to add a new fortune to the one he already possessed, that would sound even more amazing to me. As Cpt Sandro points out: "He was the man in Camp Nou". Why destroy such a reputation by joining Barcas worst rival?