Manchester City Legal Action Against Real Madrid Candidate Over Haaland Claim
Manchester City have moved from irritation to open confrontation after Real Madrid presidential candidate Enrique Riquelme used Erling Haaland as a campaign prop on Spanish television – and claimed a contract clause would deliver the striker to the Bernabéu if he wins Sunday’s election.
Riquelme appeared on the popular show El Hormiguero holding up a Madrid shirt with Haaland’s name on the back, then told viewers the Norwegian not only had a release clause, but wanted to join the 15-time European champions.
“Haaland has a release clause and he wants to come to Madrid,” Riquelme said, presenting the forward as a centrepiece of his challenge to Florentino Pérez. He went further, promising that Rodri would also be prised away from City if he becomes president.
The response from Manchester came swiftly and with unusually sharp edges.
On Thursday, City issued a statement flatly rejecting Riquelme’s version of events and warning that lawyers may now be involved. “The stories which have emerged from Spain regarding the future of Erling Haaland are untrue,” the club said. “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.”
The message was clear: City believe their star striker is being used as electioneering material, and they are prepared to fight it.
Haaland’s camp backs City stance
If Riquelme hoped to unsettle Haaland or present himself as a president-in-waiting with deals already lined up, the player’s inner circle shut that down just as firmly.
Haaland’s father, Alfie, and his agent, Rafaela Pimenta, publicly dismissed the claims, stressing that the story belongs more to entertainment than reality. “All very entertaining but not true,” they said. “We wish all the best for both candidates in the Real Madrid elections.”
Their intervention underlined City’s insistence that the striker, who signed a record nine-and-a-half-year contract in January 2025, is locked in for the long term and not sitting on a secret escape route to Spain.
Riquelme gambles on Rodri promise
Riquelme did not stop at Haaland. He also placed Rodri at the heart of his pitch to Madrid’s socios, identifying the City midfielder as the man to anchor the next great Bernabéu side.
“He’s a top player, a Ballon d’Or winner in a position where Madrid needs to strengthen. If I become president, Rodri will play for Real Madrid, with all due respect to City,” Riquelme said.
It was a bold pledge, but he tried to give it weight with a striking personal guarantee. Admitting he lacks Pérez’s track record – “I don’t have the track record of Florentino – I’ve never been president” – Riquelme said he would back his promises with a notarised commitment. If he failed to deliver the two players he has named, he vowed to pay 100% of the annual dues of Madrid’s 100,000 members out of his own pocket.
In a campaign short on subtlety, he is effectively betting his credibility, and a vast sum of money, on persuading City to part with two pillars of their project.
Rodri’s future and the post-Guardiola question
Rodri’s situation adds a layer of intrigue. With Pep Guardiola stepping down after a decade of extraordinary success, City know some of their senior figures will be weighing up their futures, and suitors across Europe are watching closely.
The 29-year-old’s contract runs out next summer, a ticking clock that any presidential hopeful in Madrid would be tempted to exploit. On Monday, Rodri struck a calm tone when asked about what lies ahead. “I’m very calm, I know exactly where I stand, and I’ll tell you that perhaps if there hadn’t been a World Cup, things might be different,” he said.
The remark hinted at the physical and mental toll of a relentless schedule, but offered no encouragement to those predicting an imminent exit. For now, Rodri remains central to City’s plans in a season of transition without Guardiola.
City test Forest’s resolve over Anderson
Away from the political theatre in Spain, City’s recruitment machine continues to whir. The club have seen an initial bid for Elliot Anderson rejected by Nottingham Forest, but the pursuit is not over.
Hugo Viana, City’s sporting director, is expected to return with an improved offer as the champions look to add another high-end, homegrown midfielder to their squad. Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis is believed to value the 23-year-old at around £100m – the same figure City paid Aston Villa for Jack Grealish in August 2021 and a potential record outgoing for Forest.
That valuation underlines how highly Forest regard Anderson, and why prising him away will not be straightforward. His stock is rising quickly, and the international stage is about to amplify it.
Anderson is in line to start for England in their opening World Cup game against Croatia on 17 June. If he delivers there, the price – and the noise around him – will only grow louder.
