Florentino Perez's Bold Plans for Real Madrid: No Haaland, No Kane

Florentino Perez has never shied away from a fight. This time, the Real Madrid president is swinging on two fronts at once: the transfer market and the ballot box.

Appearing on television programme Horizonte, with the presidential race intensifying around him, Perez laid out his plans with characteristic bluntness. The message was clear: forget the rumours, forget the noise. Real Madrid are not chasing Erling Haaland or Harry Kane.

"It's not Erling Haaland or Harry Kane," he said, cutting through weeks of speculation with one line.

Instead, Perez hinted at something even bigger. He revealed that the club expect to announce the signing of a player valued at €150 million next week, a deal he described as potentially the largest transfer fee in Real Madrid’s history. A “great player”, a “top Champions League team”, and at least €150m on the table. The classic Perez cocktail: secrecy, spectacle, and scale.

A Different Kind of Galactico Plan

While much of the public debate has revolved around marquee No 9s, Perez sketched out a very different transfer blueprint. He namechecked three targets: Jose Mourinho, Ibrahima Konate and Denzel Dumfries, insisting they are part of a wider recruitment drive.

"I can tell you about three signings: [Jose] Mourinho, [Ibrahima] Konate, and [Denzel] Dumfries. But there will be more," he said. "On Tuesday, I'm going to make a significant offer to a top Champions League team for a great player. It would be the largest transfer fee Real Madrid has ever paid. At least 150 million."

The statement lands at a delicate moment. Presidential rival Enrique Riquelme has been trying to electrify his campaign with bold promises, not least a pledge to bring Haaland to the Santiago Bernabeu. In a race where star names can sway socios as much as policy, that kind of promise carries weight.

Perez, though, is treating it as theatre.

Elections, Power and a "Conspiracy"

Behind the transfer talk lies a far more personal battle. Perez used his appearance to launch a fierce attack on Riquelme and what he sees as a coordinated attempt to destabilise the club.

"The criticism doesn't hurt me. What hurts me is that these people want to influence Real Madrid; Riquelme's father was one of them," he said, his tone hardening as he revisited old grievances.

Perez spoke of what he called a "conspiracy in the media" aimed at unsettling the club, claiming it pushed him to call elections earlier than planned. He drew a direct line between current critics and what he described as a “sinister period” in Real Madrid’s recent past.

"I've been noticing a kind of conspiracy in the media to destabilize the club. I wanted to nip it in the bud. That's why I decided to call elections. What a coincidence that those who wanted to destabilize Real Madrid are the same ones who come from a sinister period in the club's history. They brought people into the assemblies who weren't from Real Madrid, they snuck in. And that's why I came back in 2009. Now, those are their children. I'm furious."

The language was raw, unusually so even for a president known for his firmness. This was not a calm campaign platform; it was a warning shot.

Haaland as a Campaign Weapon

Riquelme’s promise to sign Haaland has become the headline-grabber of the race, a simple, seductive idea: vote for me, get a superstar. Perez moved quickly to dismantle it.

"Everyone has denied it: his father, his agent, and the club. It's a bluff. It's a candidacy full of bluffs," he insisted.

The implication is obvious. For Perez, Haaland is not just a player in this story. He is a symbol of what the incumbent president considers empty populism, a name used to chase votes rather than a realistic transfer target.

"And that's why I'm here, to defend Real Madrid. We are a united club," Perez added, positioning himself as the guardian of stability against what he paints as opportunistic outsiders.

A Club on the Brink of Another Statement Move

So the picture is this: a president under pressure, an election framed as a battle for the soul of Real Madrid, and a mystery €150m signing waiting in the wings.

Perez has staked his ground. No Haaland, no Kane, no bending to rival promises. Instead, he is betting that another record-breaking deal, coupled with his narrative of defence and continuity, will be enough to convince Madridistas that the old architect of the Galacticos still knows exactly what he’s doing.

The next week, and that looming €150m announcement, will show whether the socios still believe him.