'There is an agreement' - Real Madrid presidential candidate announces he has secured two major signings
Real Madrid's potential new president has sensationally claimed he is ready to announce the imminent major signings of "two major international stars".
In his second term, Florentino Perez has been calling the shots at Real for a combined total of 25 years and was elected again until 2029 last year.
However, after a disappointing trophyless season for Los Blancos, there is set be a new election in the coming weeks as Enrique Riquelme has informed the club's electoral commission that he intends to stand for presidency.
A vote is set to take place of the next two weeks, with Riquelme, a renewable energy entrepreneur, challenging Perez and paying the mandatory personal deposit of €187million to run.
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The race is hotting up after Real triggered a 10-day period during which candidates must present their bids and Riquelme is trying to entice the club's 100,000 socio members to vote for him by stating that he has secured two big signings.
"I have signed two major international stars," Riquelme said in an interview with ABC, as per MARCA.
"There are signings already secured. I have signed two major international stars for Real Madrid. Two players, and we are working on the coach side.
'"There is an agreement that if I am president of Real Madrid there are two major international stars who will play for Real Madrid and they are necessary for Real Madrid's short-, medium-, and long-term sporting project.
Riquelme was asked whether the deals would be announced within the next two weeks, to which he replied: "Probably yes."
Presidential candidates for clubs in Spain regularly use new additions as a way to get votes, but the election is likely to delay the mooted return of Jose Mourinho as manager.
Currently at Benfica, Mourinho is poised to head back to the Santiago Bernabeu but he has a release clause which is currently €7million and expires on Tuesday.
If they do not meet the deadline, Real will therefore have to pay an increased €15million to buy him out of his Benfica deal.
MARCA say that Jurgen Klopp would be Riquelme's dream if he wins the election.
Who is Real Madrid president hopeful Enrique Riquelme?
Riquelme is the founder of renewable energy company Cox Energy and is close friends with tennis icon and Real supporter Rafael Nadal and sponsors team in the electric boat racing series.
He was born in Vega Baja, Alicante and moved to Central America at the age of 21 - later overseeing major solar projects in Spain, Portugal, Chile, Colombia, Morocco, South Africa and the United Arab Emirates with Cox Energy.
The company acquired the Mexican business of Spanish energy chain Iberdrola for $4billion in April.
He is a Real supporter and has attended Champions League finals in Milan, Kiev, Cardiff and London. He wore a Dani Carvajal shirt for the club legend's final game at the Bernabeu this weekend.
His father, of the same name, was a club director during the presidencies of Ramon Calderon and Vicente Boluda between 2006 and 2009 and Riquelme was set to run for the presidency back in 2021 when he was just 32.
He has been working towards the progression since then and Perez does not appear to be a fan.
That man who talks with the electricity companies and has a Mexican accent, let him stand,” Pérez told reporters in an explosive press conference earlier this month.
“They say this is a dictatorship. Let him do better. Let him stand.”
Perez won his first presidential election after announcing the club would sign Luis Figo from Barcelona in 2000. He followed up on that promise, delivering one of the most controversial transfers in football history.
Topics: Real Madrid
Josh Lawless