Jurgen Klopp's stance as Real Madrid presidential candidate Enrique Riquelme targets ex-Liverpool manager and Erling Haaland - 'It's annoying!'
Updated 06/06/2026 at 10:30 GMT+1
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The Real Madrid presidential election is reaching final days of campaigning, as Florentino Perez and Enrique Riquelme battle it out to win over the club's members.
'My future will be decided this week' - Mourinho on Real Madrid speculation
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Incumbent Perez is up for re-election in the Spanish capital, having run unopposed since the start of his second reign in 2009.
However, Riquelme, a 37-year-old Spanish businessman, is seeking to oust the Real Madrid supremo, who is trying to bring Jose Mourinho back to the La Liga club.
And Perez is facing his greatest threat to his supremacy - and the 79-year-old is doing everything in his power to defeat Riquelme.
Perez recently said that Mourinho would return to the Bernabeu 13 years after leaving the Liga powerhouses should he remain as president.
He also said that the club would make a club-record bid for a player should he be re-elected.
"I have some news for you," Perez said. "On Tuesday, I'm going to make a significant offer to a top Champions League team for a top player. It would be the largest transfer fee Real Madrid has ever paid. At least €150 million (£130m).
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"When we sign someone, it's to inspire: [Luis] Figo, [Zinedine] Zidane, Ronaldo, Cristiano [Ronaldo], Kaka. The player will be of that caliber, and he won't be from the Premier League. A true superstar.
"It's not [Michael] Olise or [Jeremy] Doku, or [Erling] Haaland. They're great players, but it's not the name I'm thinking of.
"It isn't [Harry] Kane. It's a player who plays from the midfield, or further forwards. He's a total Galactico. But first we'll talk to his club."
And while Perez played down reports that Bayern Munich star Olise will be the centre of a transfer scramble, Spanish outlet AS suggests that the Frenchman, and a Paris Saint-Germain midfielder, Vitinha or Joao Neves, are the players he is referring to.
What Riquelme said about Klopp - and Haaland
Riquelme, though, has hit back, and said that Jurgen Klopp, and not Mourinho, would be Real Madrid's next manager should he become president.
"The manager we want for our Real Madrid project is Jurgen Klopp," Riquelme said on Friday.
"On Monday, if we win the elections, our director Raul will get in touch with Klopp."
Klopp has been working as Head of Global Soccer for Red Bull GmbH since leaving his role as Liverpool boss in 2024. The German guided The Reds to the UEFA Champions League, the Premier League and the FA Cup during his nine years at Anfield.
His agent, Marc Kosicke, has since dismissed Riquelme's claims, insisting that he has no desire to return to management.
"It’s annoying! Jurgen Klopp is happy in his role at Red Bull, and has no ambitions to work as a coach at a club," said Kosicke.
The news comes after Riquelme earlier this week claimed Manchester City striker Erling Haaland has a release clause in his contract - and "wants to come to Real Madrid".
The Premier League side have threatened legal action, but Riquelme has instead doubled down on his comments.
"It's normal, it's an election, there are two candidates, no one is guaranteed to win, and they [Man City] have to protect the player," he said. "Starting Monday, we'll talk, we'll sit down to talk with them."
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