Real Madrid market, José Mouinho gloats while waiting for the big score
No surprises in the Real Madrid presidential election: Florentino Pérez won a clear victory over challenger Enrique Riquelme, a 39-year-old businessman, thus securing a new term at the helm of the club until 2030. For Pérez, who will turn 79, this will be his eighth term as president of the blancos. At the helm of Real from 2000 to 2006 and again from 2009 to the present, the Spanish executive will reach the 25-year mark next summer, a period marked by extraordinary successes in soccer and basketball that have made him the most successful president in the club’s history.
With his confirmation at the helm of the club, Pérez is ready to follow up on the operations already set in the market. These include the arrival of Jose Mourinho on the bench, the transfer of defender Ibrahima Konaté on a zero-parameter basis from Liverpool, and the purchase of Denzel Dumfries from Inter Milan through the payment of a rescission clause. But the Madrid president is also aiming for an absolute prestige coup: the main target would be Michael Olise, although Bayern Munich continues to consider him non-transferable.
After the proclamation, Pérez thanked the members for their trust and reiterated his desire to continue the club’s path of growth: “We have achieved one of the best results in our history. We will continue to work so that Real Madrid remains the world benchmark and we will fight to win the 16th Champions Cup. We want a club that is increasingly strong, independent and capable of facing any challenge. We are proud of the Santiago Bernabéu, our players and the return of José Mourinho. And Real Madrid will continue to belong to its members.”
Mourinho also celebrated the election result with a short video posted on social media. To the question “Did Florentino Pérez win the election?”, the Special One responded with a simple but eloquent, “Yes, of course.”
With the vote over, Real Madrid can now focus on building the team for next season. In addition to the already announced arrivals of Mourinho, Dumfries and Konaté, anticipation is growing for the big purchase promised by Pérez during the campaign. According to several rumors, the club is ready to submit a €150 million bid for a top player, with Olise’s name remaining the most credited, despite Bayern Munich’s firm opposition.
