With just four days remaining before the Real Madrid presidential election at Valdebebas, candidate Enrique Riquelme has escalated his campaign by promising the blockbuster acquisition of Erling Haaland.
Appearing on the television broadcast El Hormiguero, the Alicante-born businessman unveiled the Manchester City striker as his “Galáctico” signing should he win the presidency. To underscore his commitment, Riquelme displayed a formalized notarial deed and wore a shirt bearing the Norwegian forward’s name, despite Haaland currently being under contract in this club until 2034.
This high-profile declaration serves as the centerpiece of Riquelme’s sporting project, which already boasts club legends Raúl González Blanco as the proposed sporting director and Fernando Hierro as the head of the La Fábrica youth academy.
Furthermore, Riquelme publicly addressed the open secret surrounding his interest in Manchester City midfielder Rodri. Acknowledging that he has already established contact with the Spanish international’s representatives, Riquelme made his intentions clear.
“He is a tremendous player who operates in a position that Madrid desperately needs to strengthen,” Riquelme stated. “We have to respect his current club, but if I were president, he would be playing for Real Madrid. I will do everything in my power.”
The campaign trail has also highlighted a sharp tactical divide between Riquelme and his electoral rival, Florentino Pérez. Following Pérez’s recent announcement that José Mourinho would be his managerial choice, Riquelme swiftly dismissed the prospect of the Portuguese tactician returning to the Bernabéu under his leadership.
“He is a good coach, but his style is entirely different from what we are looking for. We do not want him for our project,” Riquelme confirmed. He further emphasized that the presence of Raúl and Hierro guarantees the club’s ethos will be protected.
Looking ahead to the final hours of the campaign, Riquelme indicated that he plans to officially announce his own candidate for the managerial position on Friday, June 5.
