Erling Haaland’s representatives and Manchester City have both vehemently denied claims from Real Madrid presidential candidate Enrique Riquelme that the Norwegian striker will join the Spanish giants this summer, with the threat of legal action even floated.
This was not the reaction Riquelme had been hoping to inspire, but it’s one he perhaps should have expected.
There is a long history of leveraging star names during presidential elections in Madrid. Luís Figo was famously used by Florentino Pérez, the current incumbent battling Riquelme, back in 2000. Much like Haaland, Figo publicly denied claims that he had committed to signing for Real Madrid should Pérez win.
However, the fanbase believed Pérez enough to vote for him—rather than Lorenzo Sanz, who had just oversee two Champions League titles in the space of three years. That summer, Figo left Barcelona to become a Real Madrid player.
Could history repeat itself again a quarter of a century later?
What Erling Haaland Promise Has Riquelme Made to Real Madrid?
[EXCLUSIVA] El FICHAJE ESTRELLA de Enrique Riquelme #RiquelmeEH pic.twitter.com/XziduVyN68
— El Hormiguero (@El_Hormiguero) June 3, 2026
During a much-trailed appearance on the popular Spanish chat show, El Hormiguero, Riquelme set out his stall. Club legend Raúl González would be his choice of manager, Rodri would be signed and his Manchester City colleague Haaland would soon follow suit.
A crucial detail to Riquelme’s declaration was the forfeit he willingly offered up. Just like Pérez when he presented Figo, this year’s challenger promised to pay the membership fees of every Real Madrid fan out of his own pocket if he is elected and fails to secure his signings. That would set him back about $23.3 million (€20 million).
Haaland’s Cutting Response to Riquelme
A matter of hours after Riquelme dropped the Haaland bombshell to the two giant ant puppets dancing around his desk on El Hormiguero, the Manchester City striker’s team responded to these claims.
“All very entertaining but not true,” a statement from Haaland’s father, Alfie, and agent, Rafaela Pimenta, read, as quoted by Fabrizio Romano. “We wish all the best for both candidates in the Real Madrid elections.”
Haaland famously has a contract at Manchester City stretching until 2034. Riquelme also claimed that there was a clause in that deal which would offer a window for Real Madrid to pounce—something that has supposedly been discussed by the presidential candidate and Haaland’s team. City were quick to shut those rumors down.
Man City Threaten Legal Action
“The stories which have emerged from Spain regarding the future of Erling Haaland are false,” a Manchester City statement declared, per Fabrizio Romano. “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.”
The difference between Pérez’s Figo promise and Riquelme’s Haaland declaration is that the latter never made any mention of signed contracts. While Pérez managed to convince Figo’s representatives to legally commit their client’s future to the presidential candidate (in the overconfident belief he would never actually win the election), Haaland’s team haven’t fallen into the same trap.
Florentino Perez Blasts Riquelme
Pérez began the campaign trail by spilling out his conspiracy theories for the world’s media to see, yet now the 79-year-old has been framed as the reasonable candidate by Riquelme’s ridiculous promises. Sensing a moment of weakness, the current president twisted the knife.
“Agents are calling me and saying that Riquelme talks to players and tells them, ‘Don’t say no.’ I don’t believe a word he says,” Pérez scoffed to El Español. “One of the signings he mentioned was Rodri, but obviously, it’s not a done deal.”
“Everything Riquelme says is like the TV show Everything is a Lie,” Pérez added. “He says he’s coming to save Real Madrid and then he has to take out a loan at 54% interest for his company.”
What Next for Riquelme, Perez, Haaland?
Riquelme hasn’t so much as shown his hand as told everyone that he has a royal flush. Now, it’s up to the Real Madrid fans voting to decide if he’s bluffing.
Just as in the Figo case, the club members could test Riquelme’s resolve by voting him in and getting the win-win scenario of either signing Haaland or having their membership paid for.
However, in all likelihood, Pérez is expected to stroll to yet another victory and follow through on his promise of hiring José Mourinho while also snagging the far more attainable transfer duo of Ibrahima Konaté and Denzel Dumfries.
