Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez is expected to face serious competition in the upcoming elections. Enrique Riquelme, the 37-year-old head of the Cox Energy group, has confirmed his candidacy by sending an official letter to the club's electoral committee. Riquelme is the first official candidate to challenge the incumbent president. This is reported by Goal.com .
The requirements for presidential candidates are quite high: they must have at least 20 years of club membership and provide a bank guarantee of 187 million euros (15 percent of the annual budget) backed by personal assets. If multiple candidates meet all requirements, a vote will be held among club members.
According to El Confidencial, Riquelme has prepared two major transfer plans to win over voters. His first goal is to bring Manchester City striker Erling Haaland to Madrid. Reports suggest the businessman has already been in contact with the Norwegian player's representatives.
Riquelme's second main plan concerns the managerial position. He intends to bring in Jürgen Klopp, who is currently working within the Red Bull system. Meanwhile, Florentino Pérez had decided to hold early elections following a crisis season for the team. Real Madrid has finished two consecutive years without a trophy for the first time since the 2009/10 season.
79-year-old Florentino Pérez stated at a press conference that he is the target of a "smear campaign" and "conspiracy" by the media. The candidate registration process will continue until May 23. If Riquelme can meet all financial requirements, a real battle for power at Real Madrid is set to begin.
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