Manchester City Sues Over Real Madrid Candidate's Haaland Transfer Claims
Manchester City Sues Over Real Madrid Candidate's Haaland Transfer Claims
Manchester City has threatened legal action against Enrique Riquelme, a candidate running to become Real Madrid's next president. The dispute centers on Riquelme's public claims that he can sign striker Erling Haaland—and his use of the player's image in campaign materials without permission.
Riquelme, a 37-year-old renewable energy entrepreneur, appeared on Spanish television promising to deliver both Haaland and midfielder Rodri to Real Madrid if voters elect him president. During appearances on Antena 3 and the popular talk show El Hormiguero, he held up a Real Madrid shirt with "Haaland 9" printed on it. He even promised to pay the membership fees for all 100,000 Real Madrid members if he failed to deliver either player.
Manchester City responded firmly. The club told The Athletic there is "no chance" Haaland will move to Real Madrid and said they are considering a lawsuit specifically over the unauthorized use of Haaland's image in a political campaign. The club stated clearly that no contractual clause exists that would allow Haaland to transfer.
Why This Actually Matters: The Contracts
Haaland's situation at Manchester City is essentially locked down. The Norwegian striker signed a nine-and-a-half-year contract extension in January 2025 that keeps him at City until 2034. Since joining in 2022, he has become one of Europe's best forwards, winning the Premier League Golden Boot in the 2025/26 season after scoring 38 goals across all competitions.
Rodri's situation is different. The 29-year-old midfielder and Ballon d'Or winner (soccer's top individual award) has only one year left on his contract, which expires next summer. This contrast may explain why Riquelme targeted both players, though Manchester City made clear they don't welcome any approach for either.
The Election Backdrop
Real Madrid is holding its first contested presidential election since 2006. The current president, 79-year-old Florentino Pérez, called the snap election, saying he was "shocked by disproportionate criticism in the media." During his time in charge, Madrid has won six European Cups in the last ten years—an extraordinary run of success.
When asked about Haaland specifically, Pérez kept his distance, saying he had "no opinion on the matter." Riquelme, by contrast, has made bold transfer pledges his centerpiece. He has also sent Pérez a formal letter requesting dialogue and asking to delay the election, though no public response has emerged.
This contrast in style matters. Pérez projects confidence through institutional results; Riquelme is betting that ambitious promises will excite voters tired of the status quo.
What the Players Say
Haaland's representatives wasted no time pushing back. Agent Rafaela Pimenta and his father Alfie issued a joint statement to ESPN saying they were "laughing off" suggestions that Haaland would move to Real Madrid under Riquelme.
Riquelme had claimed Haaland has a release clause (a contractual escape hatch) and desperately wants to join Madrid. Manchester City denies both claims. Haaland has expressed admiration for Real Madrid publicly and said he would like to play there "one day," but his recent nine-and-a-half-year contract extension makes any such move look like a distant dream, not something close to happening.
The Legal Question
Manchester City's lawsuit threat focuses on image rights—the legal ownership of using a player's likeness in marketing and campaigns. Using a contracted player's face and name in political materials without permission raises real questions about intellectual property and where the line sits between sports marketing and electoral politics.
Presidential campaigns in Spanish football have a history of making ambitious transfer promises to energize voters. But directly using another club's player's image in campaign materials is more aggressive. It has crossed enough of a line that Manchester City is willing to go to court.
What This Tells Us
Manchester City's firm response sends a message: major clubs won't tolerate unauthorized commercial use of their players, even when it happens in the context of elections at rival institutions. The threatened lawsuit may discourage similar campaign tactics in the future.
For Real Madrid's members, this election is really a choice: stick with Pérez and his proven track record of success, or take a chance on Riquelme and the transformation he promises. Riquelme's willingness to bet his own money on transfer guarantees suggests either genuine confidence or a calculated bet that bold promises will set him apart.
The deeper reality is that Riquelme's commitments appear to exceed what is actually possible. Haaland is under contract through 2034 with a club in excellent financial health and recent trophy-winning form. The contractual and legal obstacles to his departure are substantial. In that sense, this controversy reveals how modern football's business side—marketing deals, image rights, contract law—now extends well beyond the pitch into boardrooms, courtrooms, and campaign stages.
