Enrique Riquelme, a candidate for the Real Madrid presidency, has stated that he has secured agreements with two international football stars for potential summer transfers, should he win the election. Real Madrid is preparing for its first presidential election in two decades, with Riquelme presenting a significant challenge to the incumbent, Florentino Perez.
Riquelme successfully submitted his bank guarantee of €187 million, a prerequisite for his candidacy. The election is scheduled for Sunday, June 7th. As part of his campaign launch, Riquelme issued a statement emphasizing his strong and inspiring platform for the club’s members.
“As we declared during the pre-campaign period, we would only run if we possessed an exceptionally powerful and inspiring platform for the Madridismo… and we do. We will present, by a considerable margin, the most significant project for our members in 120 years – the most transformative project in Real Madrid’s history,” as reported by Diario AS.
Riquelme Critiques Perez on Finances, Stadium, and Privatization
Riquelme has already begun to question recent decisions made by Florentino Perez, particularly concerning the ongoing renovation of the Santiago Bernabeu stadium, which has reportedly exceeded its budget significantly.
“Seats are closer together, smaller—you have to leave ten minutes before halftime just to buy a drink and a snack… Is *this* the renovation after €1.7 billion?” Riquelme questioned, expressing his dissatisfaction with the stadium project’s execution and cost.
In an interview with ABC, as cited by Cadena Cope, Riquelme also invited Perez to participate in a public debate. He specifically challenged Perez’s recent proposal to sell a portion of the club’s ownership and convert members into shareholders, a move Perez described as a method to ‘protect’ them as owners. This privatization idea has drawn considerable scrutiny.
“Let him present his privatization proposal, and I will be able to debate our perspectives on it – why we support it, or why we do not. And based on that, the members will be able to make an informed decision.”
Riquelme further accused Perez of consistently prioritizing other interests over those of the club’s members. He also raised concerns about the club’s financial management, citing an annual expenditure of €45 million on RMTV and a projected annual loss of €80 million, even without asset sales.
Riquelme’s Football Strategy: Two Signings Confirmed
The most critical aspect for club members, however, often revolves around the team’s on-pitch performance. Riquelme praised Jurgen Klopp as a “good manager and a good coach” whom he admires, and deemed the dismissal of Xabi Alonso as a mistake. He then confidently stated, “We have signed two international stars. Two major international stars will play for Real Madrid,” indicating he would likely reveal their identities in the coming weeks.
Furthermore, Radio Marca reports that while Klopp is Riquelme’s preferred managerial choice, a more realistic alternative is former Real Madrid legend Raul Gonzalez. Raul has been without a managerial role since departing the club’s Castilla side in 2025.
