'I love that player' - Rodri transfer talked up by Real Madrid presidential candidate

Riquelme has sent the rumour mill into overdrive after identifying Manchester City anchor Rodri as the perfect signing for Los Blancos. With the club's elections looming on June 7, the 37-year-old businessman has not been shy about his admiration for the 2024 Ballon d'Or winner, who remains one of the most influential players in world football.

In statements to ESPN, Riquelme made no secret of his desire to see the Spaniard back in his home city. "I love that player; he's a fantastic player and the profile of player Real Madrid should have and who should be playing for the club," Riquelme said. "But obviously he's at another club, and we have to respect that. Rodri is the type of player who should be playing for Real Madrid. But we'll talk about that from Saturday onwards."

The race for the Real presidency is heating up, and Riquelme is leaning into the club's long-standing tradition of grand transfer promises. He has already claimed to have reached verbal agreements with two major international figures. While he stopped short of confirming Rodri as one of those names, he dropped a significant hint by noting that one of his targets will be representing Spain at the upcoming World Cup.

The Cox Energy CEO intends to unveil the finer details of his sporting project very soon. Speaking on his strategy to win over the Madridismo, he said: "Starting Saturday, we will begin with the sporting side and give specific names." This approach mirrors the famous 2000 campaign of current president Florentino Perez, who shocked the world by securing a deal for Luis Figo from rivals Barcelona.

Riquelme believes his potential recruitment drive will be enough to unseat Perez. When questioned if his prospective signings reached the "Galactico" level of previous eras, he suggested that the names involved would have a massive impact on the squad's outlook and the fans' morale. He is banking on the shock factor to secure votes from the socio-led electorate.

He said: "Some of the players I have agreements with are deal-breakers, without a doubt. People should pay attention because they are going to please and excite the fans."

Beyond the playing squad, Riquelme has also addressed the managerial situation at the Bernabeu, with Alvaro Arbeloa having left the club after the final game of the season. While he refused to disclose the identity or the nationality of his chosen coach, Riquelme insisted that the individual has the pedigree required to lead the 15-time European champions without having a previous association with the club.

Discussing his plans for the bench, Riquelme explained: "We have a coach signed. Let's not talk about nationality; let's talk about experience. We're not going to experiment. We will bring in a proven coach and technical staff, who have never coached Real Madrid before, and I'm sure Real Madrid will be very excited to have them here."