Real Madrid’s presidential candidate surprises fans by picking a big Premier League name as the next manager
Real Madrid’s presidential candidate shares exciting news about signing two top players
Real Madrid presidential hopeful Enrique Riquelme is said to want Mikel Arteta as the club’s next manager if he wins the election later this month.
Last month, Florentino Perez shocked everyone by calling for presidential elections after two seasons without a major trophy. At 79 years old, Perez challenged anyone to run against him, and Enrique Riquelme, a renewable energy entrepreneur, stepped up to take on the challenge. This is the first time in over 20 years that Perez has faced a serious rival for the club’s top job.
Real Madrid’s huge fan base of 100,000 members will vote on Sunday, June 7. Perez decided not to debate Riquelme, but both candidates will be working hard to win fan support this week.
If Perez wins again, it’s believed that former manager Jose Mourinho could return. On the other hand, Riquelme says he’s already lined up his preferred coach, though he hasn’t revealed the name. Early reports linked Jurgen Klopp to the role, but a Spanish source suggests it might be Arsenal’s Mikel Arteta, especially since Riquelme admires him and thinks he might leave London after winning the Premier League.
Riquelme recently said he had “finalized a coaching deal” before announcing his run for president and that this coach is still under contract with another team. When asked if it was Klopp, he didn’t confirm but said they’re looking at the best coaches in the world with the right experience to lead Real Madrid. He added that he would love to see Klopp coach the club someday.
Riquelme also promised that if he wins, he plans to sign two new players, including a Spanish international. He pointed out that no Real Madrid player was selected for Spain’s World Cup squad, which is upsetting for fans.
He said, “If I’m president, Real Madrid will have a player in Spain’s World Cup team. It’s disappointing that none of our players made it. As a Madridista, that hurts. Who will the kids or fans support at the World Cup? Lamine Yamal’s team. I really hope to fix this if I become president.”