Real Madrid presidential candidate Enrique Riquelme has doubled down on his claim that Erling Haaland has a clause in his contract that would enable him to leave Manchester City, and says he has met the Norwegian to discuss a move to the Santiago Bernabeu.
Riquelme, who goes up against Florentino Perez in Sunday’s elections, first claimed he would sign Haaland last night on the TV show El Hormiguero, even holding up a Madrid shirt with his name on the back, a move that prompted a swift denial from the player’s agent and father, as well as City themselves, who also threatened legal action.
Rather than change his stance, 37-year-old Riquelme went further in an interview with Spanish daily AS today and said he was staking his reputation on fulfilling his pledge for both Haaland and his City team-mate Rodri to move to Madrid.
He said: “I understand that his camp has to defend and protect the player, and also his club. It seems normal to me. But I am very happy to be able to announce that great figures like Haaland, if I am president, will play for Real Madrid.
“More than me, what convinces Haaland is Real Madrid. Players want to come and play with the best in the world if the right circumstances are given. Real Madrid competes with great clubs in the world, who can also win titles, but no club has the history of Madrid.”
Riquelme will stump up £13m if he fails to sign Haaland or Rodri
Riquelme vowed to pay the subscription fees of the club’s members next year if he is elected and fails to bring Haaland and Rodri to Madrid. The cost of that is reported to be in the region of €15million (£13m).
He added: “I can’t give more details, because the purpose is not to put people in a compromised situation. What I’m saying is that I think it’s normal for the club [City] to protect the player.
“What I’m saying is that I’m very sure that I’m not going to risk my professional or personal reputation, at 37 years of age, for not fulfilling this.
“I have already said that if I fail in signing one of the two [players] I will personally pay the entire fees of the 100,000 members. I think it’s clear that I’m going to make it possible for these two players to play at Real Madrid.”
Riquelme claims to have met Haaland to discuss move to Real Madrid
Asked if he had discussed his proposal with Haaland, who has scored 162 goals in 198 appearances for City since joining from Borussia Dortmund in 2022, Riquelme added: “It’s between us… but yes, I’ve been with him very recently.
“You have to respect the player but I would not put at risk not only my assets, but my credibility for a signing that does not take place.
“If I am president, Rodri and Haaland will play for Real Madrid. I’ll make it possible.”
Haaland signed a 10-year-contract at City last year and there is no indication he has any desire to move to Spain. His agent Rafaela Pimenta and father Alfie said in a joint statement last night: “All very entertaining but not true. We wish all the best for both candidates in the Madrid elections.”
City also refuted Riquelme’s claim that Haaland had a clause in his contract enabling him to leave the Etihad.
A club statement this morning read: “The stories which have emerged from Spain regarding the future of Erling Haaland are untrue.
“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.”
Denials are part of the game, says Real Madrid hopeful
Riquelme laughed off the stance taken by Pimenta and Haaland Snr, adding: “It’s part of the game. It also happened with [Luis] Figo [prior to the Portuguese making his controversial move from Barcelona to Madrid], this is part of soccer.
“As I say, you have to protect the player. And also with Pablo (Barquero), Rodri’s representative. In Rodri’s case, I know perfectly well that you have to talk to City later. Rodri’s circumstances are different from Haaland’s. We have the utmost respect for the club. And from there, [we will] work on that side. We have everything so clear and so structured that I know very clearly that, if I am president of Real Madrid, these two players will play for Real Madrid.”
Riquelme claimed he had been in contact with City this morning regarding their displeasure.
He said: “It’s an entertainment business, football is football, and this is part of football.
“We have to keep talking, maximum respect for City, but the player has a clause, he has a contract, and this Wednesday we already sent a private message to City. He has a termination clause, yes.”
