Manchester City are considering legal action after a candidate in Real Madrid's presidential election made a very public — and, according to City, entirely fictitious — promise to sign Erling Haaland.

Enrique Riquelme, a renewable energy magnate challenging incumbent president Florentino Perez for the role at the Bernabéu, produced a Real Madrid shirt bearing Haaland's name during a live television appearance on Wednesday. He told viewers: "He has a release clause and would like to join Real Madrid." The noises out of the Etihad were swift and unambiguous.

City and camp rubbish the claim

Haaland's father and agent moved first, issuing a joint denial before City themselves weighed in with a statement that left little room for interpretation.

"The stories which have emerged from Spain regarding the future of Erling Haaland are untrue," City's 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."

The club's reference to image rights is significant. Riquelme did not merely make a verbal claim — he brandished a personalised shirt on camera, a move City clearly regard as an unauthorised commercial use of their striker's identity.

A presidential pitch that has backfired

Presidential elections at major Spanish clubs are frequently theatrical affairs, with candidates competing to offer the most eye-catching signings. Riquelme appears to have calculated that the prospect of landing the Premier League's most prolific striker would energise Real's socios. The response from Manchester and from Haaland's own representatives suggests the stunt has done rather more damage than good.

City's denial is categorical on the contractual question. They state there is no release clause in Haaland's deal that would allow an exit — a direct rebuttal of Riquelme's central claim. Whether any legal challenge follows through to the courts remains to be seen, but the club's public language signals this is not something they are prepared to let pass without a fight.

Haaland's status at City

The Norwegian has been one of the defining forwards of the Premier League era since his arrival in Manchester. He has registered 55 goals in 49 international appearances for Norway, underlining a scoring record that naturally draws attention from clubs across Europe whenever transfer windows open — or, in this case, when election season arrives in the Spanish capital.

For now, City's position is a done deal as far as they are concerned: Haaland is going nowhere, there is no mechanism to take him, and anyone suggesting otherwise should expect to hear from the club's lawyers. The market is unlikely to take Riquelme's promise seriously given the emphatic joint rebuttal from both the player's camp and the club, but the saga serves as a reminder of how transfer speculation — however far-fetched — can escalate rapidly when it involves one of world football's most coveted names.

Frequently asked

Is Erling Haaland leaving Manchester City for Real Madrid?
No. Manchester City and Haaland's own father and agent have both issued flat denials, stating the claims are untrue and that there is no contractual clause allowing a move to Real Madrid.
Why are Man City considering legal action over the Haaland story?
City say a Real Madrid presidential candidate used Haaland's image without authorisation — specifically, unveiling a Real Madrid shirt bearing his name on live television — and they regard that as grounds to explore legal action.
Who is the Real Madrid presidential candidate who made the Haaland claim?
Enrique Riquelme, described as a renewable energy magnate, who is challenging current president Florentino Perez in Real Madrid's presidential election.