Manchester City deny any Haaland release clause after Real Madrid presidential candidate claim

Who, what, when and why it matters: Manchester City have publicly rejected claims made by Real Madrid presidential candidate Enrique Riquelme that Erling Haaland could join Real Madrid, saying the stories are false, that there is no release clause in Haaland’s contract and that the club is considering legal action over the use of the player’s image. The denial follows Riquelme’s public promise during Real Madrid’s presidential election campaign that Haaland would be a signing if he became president — a development with major transfer and squad implications should it be true.

Why it matters:

Any credible suggestion that Haaland — one of world football’s most prolific forwards — could move from Manchester City would dominate transfer markets, affect Man City’s planning and reshape Real Madrid’s recruitment. City’s statement that Haaland is contracted until 2034 and central to their sporting project, if accurate, signals the club’s intention to retain him amid a summer of managerial and squad change.

What each side has said

According to the World Soccer Talk summary of reporting, Manchester City issued a statement denying reports that Haaland would leave the club and saying there is no contractual clause to enable such a move. The club said the stories ‘are false’ and that they are considering legal action over the use of the player’s image in Riquelme’s campaign messaging. The source also reports City reiterated Haaland’s long-term status after a January 2025 contract renewal tying him to the club until 2034.

On the other side, Enrique Riquelme — campaigning in Real Madrid’s presidential election — publicly stated he would seek to bring Haaland to the club if elected and compared the potential transfer to Luis Figo’s controversial switch from Barcelona to Real Madrid, saying the player ‘has a release clause’ and that he had already sent a private message to City. Those remarks were reported via El Partidazo COPE and relayed in the source article.

Context: club situation and wider implications

The suggested move comes as Real Madrid hold presidential elections after a disappointing season that led president Florentino Pérez to call a vote. Riquelme has emerged as a challenger in that process and used high-profile transfer promises as part of his campaign pitch. Manchester City, meanwhile, are navigating a period of change after the departure of manager Pep Guardiola and other key players, and the source frames Haaland as a central pillar of City’s sporting project.

• Manchester City say reports that Erling Haaland is leaving are false and that he has no release clause (source: World Soccer Talk).
• City reportedly say they are considering legal action over the use of Haaland’s image in Real Madrid presidential campaign messaging.
• Enrique Riquelme has publicly promised Haaland would join Real Madrid if he becomes president and likened it to Luis Figo’s transfer (source references El Partidazo COPE).
• Source reports Haaland renewed his City contract in January 2025 and is tied to the club until 2034.

Limitations and outstanding questions

This draft is based on a single secondary source that summarises reporting from Spanish and English outlets. Several points should be verified with primary sources before publication: whether Manchester City have formally initiated legal proceedings or merely signalled they may do so; the exact text of Manchester City’s statement; original Spanish reports for Riquelme’s quoted remarks; and confirmation of the contract renewal details from Manchester City or Haaland’s representatives.

What happens next

If Riquelme persists in making Haaland a centrepiece of his campaign, expect further public exchanges between City and the Real Madrid candidate. Manchester City’s next steps — whether they pursue legal action or issue further clarifications — will determine whether the story escalates beyond campaign rhetoric. Transfers of this magnitude require formal approaches, contractual clauses or mutual agreement between clubs; none of those formal steps are confirmed in the available source.