Jurgen Klopp: Real Madrid president Enrique Riquelme says ex-Liverpool manager would be his preferred head coach if elected | Football news

Real Madrid president-elect Enrique Riquelme has issued a statement confirming that Jurgen Klopp will be the chosen manager at the Bernabeu if he is elected on Sunday.

Riquelme will go head-to-head with Florentino Perez in Sunday’s Real Madrid presidential election – he has already said he will try to sign the Manchester City duo. Erling Haaland again Rodri if he is elected.

Man City are considering legal action over the rights to the Haaland player’s image following the announcement.

Another promise made by Riquelme is to install a club legend Raul as a sports director. Real currently does not have a sporting director and Raul was the coach of Real Madrid’s B team until last year.

But according to Riquelme, Raul’s only recommendation for the position of head coach was Liverpool manager Klopp.

The statement from Riquelme’s office reads as follows: “We know that Jurgen Klopp has come out and said that he has no intention of returning to boxing in the short term, and that he has rejected many offers.

“That is why we believe that the challenge of Real Madrid is different. Because there are big clubs, but there is only one Real Madrid. There is only one institution that can combine culture and future, values ​​and aspirations, love and beauty.

“For that reason, if the members give me their trust this Sunday, Monday, June 8, Raul Gonzalez Blanco. [Real Madrid’s sporting director] he will contact Jurgen Klopp to tell him personally our sporting project and our desire to be the one to lead, from the bench, our new era at Real Madrid. “

What did Perez promise Real Madrid fans?

Meanwhile, Perez has revealed that Jose Mourinho he will be the new coach of Real Madrid if he is elected on Sunday.

Benfica have already announced that Mourinho will leave his position as coach of the Lisbon club if Perez wins the election.

Perez also announced the signing of defenders Denzel Dumfries again Ibrahima Konate. Both transfers are dependent on Perez continuing as president of Real Madrid.

Real’s current president, who has held the position since 2000 and has overseen the club’s most successful period, has also pledged to make a €150m (£129.6m) bid for Europe’s best player.

Many reports claim that the player belongs to Bayern Munich Michael Olise.

What did you promise Riquelme?

Perez’s rival Riquelme sued on a Spanish TV show El Hormiguero On Wednesday night Haaland had a release clause and wanted to move to the Bernabeu. He also held up an original shirt with ‘Haaland 9’ on the back.

Riquelme, who also promised to sign his Haaland City team-mate Rodri, said: “If I break my promises in relation to one of these players, I have signed a guarantee where I will pay 100 percent of the membership fee next season.

“Haaland has a release clause, and he wants to come to Madrid.”

However, Manchester City moved quickly to deny those claims, saying in a statement that there was “no chance” Haaland would be leaving the Etihad Stadium anytime soon. The Premier League club also said it was considering legal action over the shirt roll.

A City spokesman said in a statement: “The news in Spain about Erling Haaland’s future is not true.

“There is no chance of this happening and there is no clause in the contract that allows it. We are considering legal action regarding the use of our player image in this context.”

Haaland is contracted at the Etihad until the summer of 2034 and the player’s agent Rafaela Pimenta and his father Alfie Haaland have laughed off suggestions that the 25-year-old could soon be heading to the Spanish capital.

A joint statement issued in the early hours of Thursday said: “It’s all very exciting but it’s not true. We wish the best to both Real Madrid candidates.”

Riquelme also said that he will sign City player Rodri, who has a contract until 2027.

The 29-year-old Spanish player has been linked with Real but City still consider him part of their plans. Rodri said earlier this week that he does not want to talk about his future until the World Cup is over.

What is Klopp doing now?

Former Liverpool boss Klopp has not been back in charge of the club since leaving Anfield in the summer of 2024.

The German currently serves as Head of Global Soccer for Red Bull sports club – a position he has held since January 2025.

On two occasions since leaving Liverpool, Klopp has said he is “finished” as a manager – the most recent of those statements coming in September last year.

However, when Klopp was linked with the Real Madrid job earlier this year, he dismissed those reports – but admitted he is ready to return to the club’s management.

“If Real Madrid had called, we would have heard about it by now,” he said in March.

“But that’s nonsense. They never called even once. My agent is there, you can ask him. They haven’t called him either.

“At the moment I don’t think about that, luckily there is no reason. According to my age, I have progressed a lot in life, but as a coach I am not finished yet. I have not yet reached retirement age.

“Who knows what will happen in the coming years. But nothing is planned.”