Manchester City are weighing up legal action against a Real Madrid presidential candidate after he paraded an Erling Haaland shirt on live television and declared the Norwegian striker would join the club if he won Sunday's election.

Enrique Riquelme — a renewable energy magnate challenging incumbent Florentino Perez for the presidency — made the announcement on Spanish chat show El Hormiguero on Wednesday, holding up a Real Madrid shirt bearing Haaland's name and insisting: "He has a release clause and would like to join Real Madrid. If I become president, he will play for Real Madrid."

The response from the Etihad was swift and unambiguous. In a joint statement issued by Haaland's father and agent alongside the club, City moved to kill the story stone dead.

"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."

Rodri also in the crosshairs

Riquelme did not stop at Haaland. The candidate also pledged to bring City's midfield anchor Rodri to the Bernabeu, claiming he had already spoken to the Spain international's representatives. "He is a great player, in a position where Madrid need to strengthen," Riquelme said. "We have spoken to his agent. We have to respect his club, but if I'm president he will play for Madrid."

Rodri, of course, missed almost all of last season through injury following his Ballon d'Or win. No response to that particular pledge has yet emerged from the City camp, but the noises out of the club on the Haaland claim suggest they are in no mood to let either assertion pass without challenge.

The backdrop: Real Madrid's first contested election in two decades

The extraordinary scenes are playing out against the backdrop of the first genuinely contested Real Madrid presidential election in 20 years. Perez, 79, called the vote himself after two trophy-less seasons — during which Alvaro Arbeloa replaced the sacked Xabi Alonso mid-campaign — left the Santiago Bernabeu restless.

Riquelme, 37, has built his campaign on a series of headline-grabbing promises: slashing membership fees by up to 50% if Real fail to lift the Champions League next season, building a members' complex near the training ground complete with swimming pools and padel courts, and opposing Perez's decision to appoint Jose Mourinho as manager. That appointment can only be formally confirmed if Perez wins on Sunday.

The Riquelme camp have hinted that their preferred managerial target is someone of the calibre of former Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp, though no formal confirmation has been made. "My coach is the one Real Madrid fans want," he said on Wednesday, deliberately leaving the name hanging.

Perez, meanwhile, is playing the steady-hand card, pointing to injury disruption and a congested pre-season curtailed by the Club World Cup as the primary causes of the club's slump. He is still considered the overwhelming favourite ahead of the vote, open to just under 100,000 eligible members, on 7 June.

City will not stand for it

For City, the optics are of a club that has no interest in playing along. Haaland has been one of the most prolific forwards in Premier League history since his arrival, and any suggestion that he is available — or agitating for a move — is precisely the kind of narrative the club will act to extinguish early. The market may speculate endlessly about his long-term future, but City's position today could not be clearer: he is going nowhere, and they are prepared to pursue the matter in court if necessary.

Frequently asked

Is Erling Haaland leaving Man City for Real Madrid?
No. Manchester City have flatly denied the claim, stating there is no contractual clause enabling a move and that the stories coming out of Spain are untrue. The club is considering legal action.
Who is Enrique Riquelme and why is he making these claims?
Enrique Riquelme is a Spanish renewable energy magnate challenging Florentino Perez in Real Madrid's presidential election, scheduled for Sunday 7 June. He has made a series of bold transfer promises as part of his campaign platform.
When is the Real Madrid presidential election?
The election is scheduled to take place on Sunday, 7 June. Just under 100,000 registered members are eligible to vote, with Florentino Perez widely regarded as the strong favourite to retain the presidency.