Manchester City Considers Suing Real Madrid Presidential Hopeful Over Erling Haaland Claims

Manchester City and the camp of star striker Erling Haaland have issued sharp denials and are weighing legal options after a Real Madrid presidential candidate used the Norwegian's image to bolster his election campaign. The dispute erupted on June 3, 2026, when Enrique Riquelme, who is challenging Florentino Perez for the Real Madrid presidency, appeared on the popular Spanish TV show El Hormiguero. During the appearance, he was presented with a Real Madrid shirt bearing Haaland's name and number 9, and he publicly claimed the striker wanted to join the club and had a contractual release clause that would facilitate the move .

Riquelme's televised stunt immediately drew a furious multi-front response. Manchester City issued a strongly worded statement flatly denying any possibility of a transfer, declaring the stories "false" and confirming no release clause exists . More significantly, the Premier League champions stated they were "considering legal action for the use of our player's image in this context" . This was quickly echoed by Haaland's father, Alfie, and his agent, Rafaela Pimenta, who dismissed the candidate's claims as untrue, with Pimenta characterizing the remarks as "entertaining but not true" . City officials believe a political campaign cannot feature their top player without authorization .

Riquelme, a 37-year-old renewable energy entrepreneur, has refused to back down. The candidate not only promised to bring Haaland to the Bernabéu but also pledged to sign Ballon d'Or winner Rodri, another Manchester City linchpin. He further committed to reimbursing the membership fees for all 100,000 Real Madrid socios if he failed to deliver the signings . In response to the denials from City and Haaland’s representatives, Riquelme dismissed the pushback as “part of the game,” insisting he has a concrete plan .

The Haaland controversy unfolds at a delicate time for Manchester City, which is navigating a significant transition. After a decade in charge, manager Pep Guardiola has confirmed his departure at the end of the season, with former Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca widely reported to have signed a three-year deal to succeed him at the Etihad . Several sources report that Haaland is under a long-term contract at City until 2034, and the club has publicly stated there is no clause that would allow a move to Madrid . With Guardiola’s exit and a potential legal fight over a presidential election stunt, City are determined to defend their assets and shut down what they view as unauthorized exploitation of their brand and players .