Man City threaten legal action after Real Madrid candidate claims Haaland agreement

Manchester City have threatened to sue Real Madrid after presidential candidate Enrique Riquelme publicly claimed he would sign Erling Haaland if he wins Sunday’s election against long-serving incumbent Florentino Perez.

In a formal statement, a City spokesperson flatly rejected Riquelme’s assertions: “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.”

Riquelme had gone as far as staking his own money on the promise, telling members: “Haaland has a release clause, and he wants to come to Madrid. If I break my promises regarding either of these players, I’ve signed a guarantee where I’d pay 100 per cent of membership costs for next season.”

Haaland’s own camp was equally dismissive. In a joint statement, his agent Rafaela Pimenta and father Alfie Haaland said: “All very entertaining but not true. We wish all the best for both candidates in the Madrid elections.”

The 25-year-old striker, who joined City from Borussia Dortmund in 2022, has scored 162 goals for the club — 38 of them in the current season. Any suggestion of an imminent departure also runs counter to the nine-and-a-half year contract extension he signed in January last year, a deal widely interpreted as a statement of long-term commitment to the Etihad.

Haaland is not the only City player Riquelme has targeted. The candidate also claimed to have held talks over a move for Spanish midfielder Rodri, saying: “He’s a great player, in a position where Madrid need to strengthen. We’ve spoken to his agent — if I’m president he’ll play for Madrid.”

Rodri has declined to engage with the speculation, indicating he will address his future only after the World Cup. “With a World Cup ahead, my responsibility is to stay focused,” he said at a press conference. “Anything related to my future will wait until after the World Cup.”

Real Madrid members vote between Perez and Riquelme on Sunday. Regardless of the outcome, City’s legal warning signals they have no intention of allowing their players to be used as campaign material.