Real Madrid presidential hopeful stands firm on giant Erling Haaland and Rodri claims in dismissal of Man City and agent's furious response

The presidential candidate has doubled down on his promise to sign Haaland, dismissing recent denials from the striker's inner circle as nothing more than "part of the game".

After a headline-grabbing appearance on El Hormiguero, Riquelme in which claimed Haaland "wants to come to Madrid", Enrique Riquelme spoke to ASto clarify his position on the Norwegian forward, who remains the primary target of his ambitious electoral campaign.

Riquelme is adamant that the deal is feasible, stating: "Haaland has a clause. It is a great name, which has been worked on for some time. You have to keep in mind that this is a candidacy; these are elections. One can win or the other can win. I understand that they have to take care of the player and protect him within the club and within his team. That seems normal to me. But I am very happy to be able to announce that great figures, if I am president, like Haaland, will play for Real Madrid."

The campaign hit a snag when Haaland's agent, Rafaela Pimenta, and father, Alfie Haaland, issued a joint statement describing the claims as "not true". However, Riquelme compared the situation to the controversial transfer of Luis Figo from fierce rivals Barcelona in 2000, suggesting that public denials are a standard defensive tactic during high-profile transfer negotiations and election cycles.

When asked about the backlash, Riquelme responded: "Well, it's part of the game. Better than you, nobody knows it. It also happened with Figo; this is part of football. Protecting the player, we had spoken before and after, also with Pablo (Barquero), Rodri's representative. I know perfectly well that then you have to talk to City. They are different circumstances, Rodri's than Haaland's, but you have to talk to City. We have maximum respect for the club."

In a move to prove his sincerity to the Madrid voting members, Riquelme has put his own wealth on the line. He has promised that if he fails to deliver on his transfer promises, he will personally cover the membership fees for the club's entire voting base. This aggressive strategy is designed to contrast with the long-standing tenure of current president Perez.

"To convince the members? Apart from what I said, I put a guarantee, a personal guarantee that if I failed in any of those promises, I would personally pay the fee of the 100,000 Madrid members (around €15 million)," Riquelme explained. "I cannot ask for the member's trust if I do not trust the proposal I have myself. I'm not going to burn my personal or professional image, nor as a Madridista or as a member, by bringing one or the other."

Despite his confidence, Riquelme acknowledged that formal negotiations with City would still be necessary to finalise the move for both Haaland and Rodri. The candidate revealed that his team has already initiated private contact with the English champions to avoid any misunderstandings stemming from his public comments and media appearances.

Riquelme concluded by addressing the potential friction his campaign might cause at the Etihad Stadium: "It's an entertainment program. Football is football; this is part of football. We must continue talking, maximum respect to City; we must sit down. The player has a clause; he has a contract, and this Wednesday we already sent a message in private to City. Because even due to a language problem, they may understand something else, but there is clarity."