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Real Madrid presidential elections candidate Enrique Riquelme has claimed he has two unnamed "international stars" whom he will sign to boost the team after a trophyless campaign if he replaces the current president Florentino Perez.
The club is set to hold their presidential elections for the first time in two decades as Riquelme's candidacy to face Florentino received approval from the club's electoral commission on Sunday. The elections were announced by Florentino after the club lost the La Liga title to Barcelona after a loss in the 'El Clasico' clash between the two rivals. Riquelme said to the newspaper ABC as quoted by ESPN, "We have two international stars signed. I have an agreement that if I am president, two big international stars will play for Real Madrid, two stars who are necessary for the sporting project in the short, medium and long term." He also said that he would "probably" name the players during his campaign, which is due to last for two weeks. The 37-year-old declared the campaign open on Monday across the street from the Bernabeu Stadium. Perez has been at the helm of the club since 2000, other than a three-year break after his resignation in 2006 and was elected unopposed in 2009, 2013, 2017, 2021 and 2025. Also, as per ESPN, former Madrid boss Jose Mourinho has agreed for a two-year-deal to return as a coach, but the official confirmation timeframe is unclear due to electoral processes. Madrid started this season with Xabi Alonso in charge, before his sacking in January and was replaced by reserve team coach Alvaro Arbeloa. "If I am president, we will evaluate [Mourinho's return]," Riquelme said. "But we want to create a long-term project... It was the right decision to bring in [Alonso] and a mistake to sack him. You cannot create a project in three months. He lacked time and the ability to take decisions," he added. He is also not revealing his preferred coach, saying, "I love Jurgen Klopp but there are other coaches I like too. Real Madrid cannot 'experiment' with coaches. Perhaps [Arbeloa] was not right for that moment," he added. He also unveiled that the team would get a sporting director if he wins elections. "I have one in mind, and we will announce it in the next few days," he said. On the Real Madrid players missing out on Spain's FIFA World Cup squad, he said, "It makes me sad. But it is the reality of years without professional management. When sporting decisions are taken in offices and not by people who know about sporting management, these things happen," he said. (ANI)
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