Manchester City threaten legal action after Real Madrid presidential candidate Enrique Riquelme promises to sign Erling Haaland
Updated 04/06/2026 at 10:18 GMT+1
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Manchester City said they "are considering" legal action after a candidate in the upcoming Real Madrid presidential elections claimed he would sign Erling Haaland if he was to be selected.
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Enrique Riquelme, who is looking to oust current president Florentino Perez at the top of the club, suggested his election would bring Haaland to the Spanish capital.
"Haaland has a release clause and wants to join Real Madrid," claimed Riquelme. "I have signed a personal notarised guarantee, in which I have to undertake to pay 100% of the membership fees for all of Real Madrid's 100,000 members next season, should I fail to deliver."
However, City have rubbished Riquelme's claims, adding that they "are considering" legal action after Riquelme held up a Real Madrid shirt with Haaland's name and No. 9 on the back during an interview on Spanish television.
"The stories which have emerged from Spain regarding the future of Erling Haaland are untrue," the Premier League club said in a statement.
"There is no chance of this happening and there is no contractual clause to enable it. We are considering legal action for the use of our player image in this context."
Haaland's agent, Rafaela Pimenta, also poured cold water on the rumours.
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"All very entertaining but not true," Pimenta said in a statement sent to ESPN. "We wish all the best for both candidates in the Madrid elections."
Haaland has scored 162 goals in 198 games for the Premier League outfit.
As well as Haaland, Riquelme has set his sights on his City team-mate and 2024 Ballon d'Or winner, Rodri.
Rodri has won four Premier League titles and the UEFA Champions League alongside Haaland, as well as a number of domestic cups.
Rodri has already stated his desire to one day pull on the Los Blancos strip, and recently said he is "very calm" over his future as he prepares for the World Cup with Spain.
The midfielder is heading into the final year of his contract at City and, with things changing at the Premier League club following the departure of Pep Guardiola, his future remains in the balance.
Madrid have also been strongly linked to both Ibrahima Konate, who is leaving Liverpool as a free agent this summer, as well as Inter's Denzel Dumfries.
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Big change
The Real presidential election is already proving to be as dramatic, with both Perez and Riquelme outlining their major plans for the club.
As is customary with the La Liga giants, Madrid elect a new president around every four years and they are voted for by the club's registered members.
Perez has been the long-serving president since 2000, except for a period between 2006 and 2009 when Ramon Calderon was in charge, following the 79-year-old's brief resignation.
Last year, Perez was given another term but, after a below par season on the pitch with Madrid ending a second consecutive campaign trophyless, an early election was called.
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And for the first time since 2004, Perez has genuine competition for his position. On Wednesday, the pair laid out their plans for the club, should they be appointed.
Jose Mourinho has already been strongly linked to the club's head coach vacancy and Perez took the opportunity to announce that Mourinho would return to the club for a second spell if the incumbent remains in charge.
Meanwhile, Riquelme suggested that he would appoint a different profile of manager to the former Chelsea boss but did not reveal any names.
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