Business figure Enrique Riquelme, who is challenging incumbent president Florentino Perez, appeared on television on Wednesday where he presented a Real Madrid shirt bearing the name of City striker Erling Haaland.
“He has a release clause and would like to join Real Madrid. If I become president, he will play for Real Madrid,” said Riquelme.
During the broadcast, Riquelme also claimed he would secure the signing of City midfielder Rodri should he be elected.
The suggestion that Haaland could move to Madrid was swiftly dismissed, with a joint statement issued by the striker’s father and his agent rejecting any implication of a potential transfer.
“The stories which have emerged from Spain regarding the future of Erling Haaland are untrue,” the statement read.
“There is no chance of this happening and there is no contractual clause to enable it.
“We are considering legal action for the use of our player image in this context.”
Manchester City later rejected the claims attributed to Riquelme, viewing the comments as unfounded.
The incident has intensified tensions ahead of the vote, with Perez seeking another term as club president while facing a competitive challenge from Riquelme.
