Manchester City Considers Legal Action Over Haaland Shirt Incident
Manchester City are exploring legal options after a Real Madrid presidential candidate publicly promised to sign Erling Haaland and unveiled a Madrid shirt with the striker’s name on live television.
Enrique Riquelme, a 37-year-old renewable energy tycoon bidding to unseat Florentino Perez, appeared on Spanish TV on Wednesday and held up a Real Madrid jersey printed with “Haaland” on the back. He then made his pitch.
“He has a release clause and would like to join Real Madrid. If I become president, he will play for Real Madrid,” Riquelme declared.
The reaction was instant.
Haaland’s camp moved quickly, issuing a joint statement from his father and his agent, dismissing the claims. Manchester City followed, making their position crystal clear.
“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, this is not just transfer noise. It cuts to control of their biggest asset’s image and the suggestion of a contractual escape hatch they insist does not exist. Publicly parading a shirt, attaching it to talk of a release clause, and presenting Haaland as effectively signed has pushed the Premier League champions to the brink of the courtroom.
Riquelme did not stop at Haaland. He also pledged to go after City’s midfield metronome, Rodri.
“He is a great player, in a position where Madrid need to strengthen,” he 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.”
Two pillars of Pep Guardiola’s side, both presented as future Madrid players in the space of a single broadcast. For a campaign already built on big promises, it was the boldest move yet.
This is the first time in 20 years that Perez has faced a genuine challenger in a Real Madrid presidential election. The backdrop is uncomfortable for the incumbent: two seasons without a major trophy and a restless fanbase at the Santiago Bernabeu. Perez himself called the vote, seeking a renewed mandate in the face of on-field frustration and open disapproval from the stands.
Riquelme has seized on that discontent with a populist, high-spend manifesto. He has promised vast giveaways, including a “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.
His campaign also strikes directly at Perez’s most controversial decision: the move to bring Jose Mourinho back to the Bernabeu. Mourinho’s appointment can only be formally confirmed if Perez wins the election. Riquelme has positioned himself in direct opposition, offering a very different vision for the dugout.
The name at the heart of that alternative? Jurgen Klopp.
Riquelme and his team have repeatedly hinted that the former Liverpool manager is their main target for the job. Speaking to The Athletic last month, he said: “Naturally, I would love for profiles of that calibre, and others like them, to coach this club.”
No promises, no shirt unveiling this time. But the message to voters is obvious: under Riquelme, Real Madrid would chase the game’s biggest stars on the pitch and on the touchline.
Just under 100,000 club members are eligible to vote in Sunday’s election on 7 June. Perez remains the overwhelming favourite, the entrenched power with the machinery of the club behind him. Riquelme, though, has dragged the race into the spotlight with a blend of spectacle, giveaways and transfer pledges that now threaten to spill into a legal battle with one of Europe’s dominant clubs.
If this is how the campaign is being fought, the question is simple: what happens if Riquelme actually wins?
