Florentino Perez, the current president of Real Madrid, has made a bold promise to the club's members. If re-elected as president on Sunday, he pledges to make a club-record offer for an unnamed "great player." This move is set to be the biggest deal in Real Madrid history.
Perez has stated that he would offer "about 150 million euros" (£130m) for an attacking player. However, he clarified that this mystery player is not Bayern Munich's Harry Kane, Michel Olise or Manchester City's Jeremy Doku. Additionally, despite rumors and promises made by election challenger Enrique Riquelme earlier this week about signing Erling Haaland from Manchester City, Perez ruled out such a possibility.
Real Madrid operates under unique ownership where it is entirely owned by its members who decide its president. Each member pays an annual fee of around £130 and nearly 100,000 of them will vote on Sunday.
Look back at Perez’s ‘Galacticos’ policy
Perez first came into power in 2000 and pursued what was known as the 'Galacticos' policy - signing expensive world-class players including Luis Figo, David Beckham and Zinedine Zidane. This strategy led to two La Liga titles and a Champions League before his resignation in 2006 due to disappointing results. In 2009 however, Perez returned unopposed for presidency and has since held his position four more times during his second term spanning over seventeen years.
Florentino Perez, Real Madrid president, said:
"I have some news for you. On Tuesday or so, I'm going to make an offer to a major Champions League club for a great player. It would be the largest transfer fee Real Madrid has ever paid in its history."
"Olise is a great player but it's not Olise. It's not Doku either. We're going to make a significant offer, at least around 150m. He needs to be a player from midfield who can go forward. And it's not Haaland. The player is not from the Premier League. And the first thing we'll do is talk to the club. It's a signing meant to generate excitement because that's what it's all about, generating excitement."
Despite their illustrious past under Perez’s leadership with star-studded lineups winning multiple titles; recent seasons have been less fruitful with no major trophies won during the 2025-26 season. This has led to Perez facing criticism and calls for a change in leadership. In response, Perez called a news conference where he urged those unhappy with his leadership to run against him for president. Renewable energy magnate Riquelme stepped forward, marking the first time in 20 years that Perez would face competition for his role.
On Wednesday, Perez promised voters that if re-elected, he would initiate another Galacticos-style transfer bid days after the election. He also reminded voters that his re-election would activate already-agreed deals for manager Jose Mourinho, Inter Milan defender Denzel Dumfries and Ibrahima Konate from Liverpool. While the identity of this "great player" remains unknown and the scale of the fee undisclosed; one thing is certain - Florentino Perez's promise has added an exciting twist to Real Madrid’s presidential elections while keeping sports fans and sports betting enthusiasts on their toes.
