Just as Real Madrid president Florentino Perez announced the hiring of Jose Mourinho as the club's next manager, his big challenger Enrique Riquelme had a major announcement of his own. For weeks, Riquelme has been telling Madridistas that he has major transfers planned for the club, with one being Spanish Ballon d'Or midfielder Rodri.
The other? His Manchester City teammate Erling Haaland, an even bigger dream target who was supposed to join Real Madrid in 2022 but did not because of Flo's focus on Kylian Mbappe. Riquelme has been adamant that Haaland will be a Madrid player.
Now, in an appearance on television, via the Madrid Zone, Enrique Riquelme has given Real Madrid fans the proof of his deed. He pulled out a Haaland Real Madrid jersey, as well as signed documents proving he has made the blockbuster move of all blockbuster moves.
Erling Haaland might actually be a valid signing for Enrique Riquelme
Haaland's interest in Real Madrid has not really waned over the years, but he has remained committed to Manchester City. It seems rather unbelievable that Riquelme, whom many clubs seem reticent to negotiate with openly in case they tick off Florentino Perez who will almost certainly win regardless of what Riquelme announces.
Still, it is even more unbelievable to think that a business leader would pull out fake documents on live television for risk of being sued. So Erling Haaland really might be the centerpiece player of the new Real Madrid project.
Haaland is, in a lot of ways, the player Real Madrid are looking for at striker. He is great in transitions, makes brilliant movements off the ball, works insanely hard defensively, gets along with everyone (Jude Bellingham was his best friend at Dortmund, by the way), and he is a clinical machine in front of goal.
Kylian Mbappe still does not have much to worry about since the man who believes in him most, Florentino, isn't losing this election. But for Real Madrid fans, Haaland is the true No. 9 they are looking for and a different kind of character and finisher and profile at the position than Mbappe, who needs more shots to score than even Luka Jovic and Mariano Diaz did in Madrid.
Riquelme is pulling out all the stops for the Madrid faithful, and while the fans aren't buying him as a serious contender right now, maybe, just maybe, the thrill of Haaland is enough to make them think about an upset, just as Florentino himself did a quarter of a century ago with Luis Figo.
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