Alfie Haaland and Rafaela Pimenta have issued a firm denial regarding an agreement with Enrique Riquelme, stating: “It is not true.”
Just hours after Enrique Riquelme touted Erling Haaland as his marquee signing, the striker’s inner circle moved swiftly to quash the rumours. In a statement issued to several outlets, including ‘SER’, the claims were flatly denied—a development later corroborated by journalist Fabrizio Romano.
“Very entertaining, but it is not true. We wish both candidates the best in the Real Madrid elections,” read the joint statement from Alfie Haaland, the player’s father, and Rafaela Pimenta, the agent representing the Manchester City talisman.
The Norwegian’s representatives were quick to distance themselves from assertions made by Riquelme during Wednesday’s appearance on ‘El Hormiguero’, where he sensationally claimed to have already secured the Nordic star. The ‘Merengue’ presidential hopeful even went as far as posing with a shirt bearing the player’s name and number, pledging to pay “100% of the membership fees for all 100,000 Real Madrid members” should he fail to land either Haaland or Rodri.
The bold claims caused an immediate stir but were just as quickly debunked. Indeed, journalist Jan Aage Fjortoft, a close confidant of the Haaland family, took to ‘X’ to mock the situation shortly before the official statement dropped, writing: “I just married Jennifer Aniston. I haven’t told my wife yet and I can’t find the actual document. Does that sound familiar, Riquelme?”
Haaland, one of the most clinical finishers in world football, is currently tied to City until 2034 with a release clause set at 200 million euros. According to Fabrizio Romano, the ‘Citizens’ remain entirely unfazed by the speculation, confident that their star man is going nowhere.