Real Madrid presidential candidate pledges to sign Haaland and keep club owned by socios. Enrique Riquelme has announced his intention to bring Haaland to Real Madrid and has provided notarial guarantees that the club will remain owned by the socios. His platform includes reforms and lowering membership fees until the team returns to Champions League triumphs.
Ahead of the Real Madrid presidential elections, candidate Enrique Riquelme is making bold promises: he has publicly declared his intention to sign Erling Haaland and has provided notarial guarantees that the club will not be sold and will remain owned by the socios. Riquelme spoke about this on the program El Hormiguero, where he also introduced his team — Raúl González Blanco as sporting director and Fernando Hierro, who will head the youth development department.
Riquelme emphasized that his priority is to protect the club from privatization. He assured that if he becomes president, no part of Real will be sold and all decisions will be made in the interests of the socios. To back up his words, the candidate produced a notarial deed in which he pledges to pay the full amount of membership fees for all 100,000 socios if he breaks his promise regarding the transfers of Haaland and other key players.
Among other initiatives are the construction of a 'Socios City' in Valdebebas and a 50% reduction in the annual membership fee until the team regains the Champions League title. According to Riquelme, these measures are designed to strengthen the position of the socios and make the club more open to fans.
During the interview, the candidate also addressed the issue of competition with incumbent president Florentino Pérez. He emphasized that he disagrees with the policy of a possible sale of the club and considers it a “red line.” According to him, the lack of opposition for two decades has led the management to start viewing the club as personal property. Riquelme urged socios to treat the upcoming election as a referendum on preserving the club’s status.
Riquelme criticized Barcelona, mentioning the Negreira case scandal and the financial schemes that allowed the Catalan club to receive significant funds. He also commented on rumors of José Mourinho's return, stating that he has another candidate for head coach, whose name will be announced in the coming days. Among top transfer priorities, Riquelme named Rodri, stressing that if he takes charge of the club, the Manchester City midfielder will join Real.
Riquelme specifically noted that the president should not interfere in the work of the coaching staff or the formation of the squad. His role, he said, is to ensure transparency, financial stability, and the proper selection of specialists. He also rejected accusations of using the club to further his own business interests, stating that he is prepared to fully focus on managing Real and step back from his company business.
The context of power struggles in major Spanish clubs has often attracted public attention. For example, in Catalonia, a recent case involving controversial contracts of a former government advisor was widely discussed, as reflected in the piece on the investigation of contracts in Altafulla.
For reference: socios is a unique membership system in which fans have the right to vote in the management of the club. In Spain, only a few football clubs, including Real Madrid and Barcelona, retain this model. In recent years, the topic of privatization and a possible change in management structure has sparked heated debates among fans and experts. The Real Madrid presidential election is scheduled for June 7, and its outcome may determine the future of one of the most influential clubs in Europe.
