Manchester City Consider Legal Action Over Haaland Comments

Manchester City are weighing up legal action after a Real Madrid presidential candidate publicly vowed to sign Erling Haaland and even unveiled a Madrid shirt with the striker’s name on it.

Enrique Riquelme, a 37-year-old renewable energy tycoon bidding to unseat Florentino Perez, appeared on Spanish television on Wednesday and held up the customised shirt before making a bold promise.

“He has a release clause and would like to join Real Madrid. If I become president, he will play for Real Madrid,” Riquelme said.

The response from Haaland’s camp and from City was instant and emphatic.

A joint statement from Haaland’s father and his agent flatly denied the claims, and City quickly moved to shut down the idea that their star forward could be prised away by a simple clause.

“The stories which have emerged from Spain regarding the future of Erling Haaland are untrue,” the statement read. “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.”

For City, the issue is no longer just about transfer speculation. It is about image rights, control of the narrative around one of the most valuable players in world football, and a presidential campaign in Madrid that has suddenly dragged them into Spain’s political theatre.

Riquelme did not stop at Haaland. He also namechecked Rodri, City’s midfield metronome, as another pillar of his vision for a rebuilt Real Madrid.

“He is a great player, in a position where Madrid need to strengthen,” Riquelme said. “We have spoken to his agent. We have to respect his club, but if I'm president he will play for Madrid. I will do everything possible.”

Those comments only deepen the sense that City view this less as idle electioneering and more as a direct challenge. Two of Pep Guardiola’s most important players have been placed at the centre of a rival club’s political pitch, with one of them literally paraded on national television in a Madrid shirt.

All of this plays out against a rare moment of vulnerability at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Riquelme has become the first serious challenger to Perez in two decades, entering an election triggered by a barren spell in which Real Madrid have gone two seasons without a major trophy. The contest, scheduled for Sunday, 7 June, will see just under 100,000 club members eligible to vote.

Perez himself called the vote, seeking a renewed mandate after a period marked by on-field inconsistency and rising discontent in the stands. He remains the overwhelming favourite, yet the very fact he is being pushed to a ballot for the first time in 20 years hints at the pressure building around him.

Riquelme has chosen a populist route. His campaign is built on grand promises: vast giveaways, a proposed “members’ city” for fans around the club’s training base, and a pledge to cut annual membership fees by up to 50% if Madrid fail to win the Champions League next season.

He has also gone head‑to‑head with Perez over the dugout.

Perez has moved to bring Jose Mourinho back to the club, a decision that can only be rubber‑stamped if the current president wins the election. Riquelme has positioned himself firmly against that appointment and has instead floated a very different profile.

The businessman and his campaign team have hinted that Jurgen Klopp, the former Liverpool manager, is their primary target. Asked about Klopp in an interview with The Athletic last month, Riquelme did not hide his admiration.

“Naturally, I would love for profiles of that calibre, and others like them, to coach this club,” he said.

So Madrid’s election battle now sprawls across three fronts: the presidency, the identity of the next head coach, and the tantalising – and highly contentious – prospect of raiding the Premier League champions for their two most influential players.

City’s stance is crystal clear. No release clause for Haaland. No opening for Madrid. And, if their threat is carried through, a legal fight over how a presidential hopeful in Spain chose to use the image of one of English football’s biggest stars.

The Bernabeu will decide its president on 7 June. The question now is whether the fallout from this campaign will still be echoing in Manchester long after the votes are counted.