Whenever Florentino Perez feels under threat, he opts to shake things up in efforts to regain stability, even with the ground shaking beneath his feet.
With the Presidential elections at Madrid about to take place, he has revealed a huge bombshell that could significantly get the tide in his favor under pressure from renewable energy billionaire Enrique Riquelme: Madrid will spend €150 million on another Galactico if he retains his presidency.
When Riquelme attempted the ultimate electoral hijack, parading an Erling Haaland jersey and claiming a signed agreement with the Norwegian’s camp, which has forced Man City to consider legal action against the 37-year-old aspirant according to The Athletic, the footballing world braced for Perez’s counter-strike.
It arrived with devastating, calculated theatricality on the late-night Spanish TV program Horizonte.
Perez went on record to dismiss Riquelme’s Haaland claims. During the interview, he promised a record-shattering, €150 million bomb of his own.
"On Tuesday, I will submit a substantial offer to a major Champions League club for a player who would become the biggest signing in Madrid's history," Perez declared.
The long-standing Real Madrid guardian even went as far as saying the mystery target is on the same level as Cristiano Ronaldo or Kaka.
As we continue to follow up on the developing story ahead of what will be an interesting next couple of days, Striver. Football tries to find out who that player might be.
Why Real Madrid Need Another Galactico
To kind of get a sense of who the €150 million man is, you have to look at the foundations Perez has already laid for next season. On the very same broadcast, the president casually confirmed that Jose Mourinho is set to return as coach 13 years after leaving.
They have also snapped up Ibrahima Konate from Liverpool on a free transfer, and have triggered Inter Milan wingback Denzel Dumfries’ €20m release clause.
There is a sense that Perez wants Mourinho to scale them back to the heights of that famous 2011/12 season which saw them register over 100 points in the La Liga season to end Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona dominance.
While star names like Vinicius Junior and Kylian Mbappe have already formed the bedrock for their attack, Madrid’s issues might mostly be in the midfield.
Since Toni Kroos hung up his boots, Madrid has desperately lacked an elite, press-resistant distributor who can control the tempo of a match.
Also factor in Aulerien Tchouameni and Federico Valverde’s infamous burst-up in May, and there is a sense that the midfield might need serious shape up following a disappointing last two years that have culminated in the side failing to clinch any piece of silverware.
“It’s Not Haaland…He is Not From the Premier League”
Perez methodically constructed a wall of parameters during his interview. When we map those boundaries out, the entire English Premier League, the German Bundesliga, and domestic rivals are wiped completely off the chess board.
He categorically dismissed names like Haaland, Michael Olise and Jeremy Doku, and made it clear that he is “not from the Premier League”.
He also went on to claim that it was a “young player” from “the midfield upwards” and is “a Galactico”. This surely implies that it has to be an established superstar, and not a fast-rising player.
With the entire UK market banned and the forward line already saturated, the search grid immediately narrows down to a singular powerhouse that is playing in the Champions League outside of Spain: Paris Saint-Germain.
Vitinha? Joao Neves? Desire Doue?
PSG currently boasts the most technically secure, young midfield pairing in world football. They also possess the most dynamic frontline that comprises Krvicha Kvaratskellia, Ousmane Dembele and Desire Doue.
The former two are above 25. In Dembele's case, he is 29 and already has a history with Barcelona, so is certainly ruled out, and for Kvaratskellia, he plays in a position Madrid are already well stocked in. This only leaves Doue, Vitinha and Joao Neves as a real possibility.
While the French champions view them as completely untouchable, a baseline bid of €150 million is the exact financial gravity required to force Nasser Al-Khelaifi to the negotiating table.
Potential Target A: Desire Doue
The Profile: At just 21, the French international is among the most exciting young players in European football. Capable of playing anywhere from attacking midfield to the left and right wings, Doue has matured into an essential, unstoppable weapon for Luis Enrique.
His brace and masterclass assist in the 2024/2025 Champions League final against Inter, followed by his FIFA Best Young Player Award at the Club World Cup, have pushed his market valuation past the €120 million threshold according to Transfermarkt.
He also enjoyed a very good 2025/2026 season as they successfully defended their league and Champions League crowns.
The Frenchman might be a real target. Perez explicitly used the phrase "from midfield upwards" and described him as a "young player."
Furthermore, comparing a potential signing to the profile of Kaka, a dynamic, ball-carrying creative engine who can slice open lines from deep midfield into the final third, describes Doue, who signed from Nice for €50 million, perfectly.
Potential Target B: Vitinha
The Profile: At 26 years old, the Portuguese international has evolved into one of the absolute best central orchestrators in Europe. He is virtually impossible to press, carries elite spatial awareness, and can transition a team from defense to attack in a single heartbeat.
He is the closest literal evolutionary match to Toni Kroos available on the continent. If Mourinho wants a midfield dictator to replicate what Xabi Alonso did for him during his first spell, Vitinha, who joined from Porto in 2022 for €41.5 million, might then go on to be sold for over €100 million more.
Potential Target C: Joao Neves
The Profile: The 21-year-old midfield prodigy represents the absolute premium tier of generational talent. He combines fierce defensive tenacity with elite progressive passing the exact prototype for a box-to-box Galactico.
What Happens Next?
Perez is a man who follows his words with action. When he was first elected Real Madrid President in 2000, he delivered on his promise of signing then Barcelona captain Luis Figo from their sworn rivals.
He may have used the €150 million tease to fend off competition from Riquelme and coax the socios (members) into voting for him, but on the face of it, it actually might be money for a player that could actually solve their current tactical problems.
The returning Jose Mourinho will need guarantees in order to return Madrid to the top. "In Madrid, you always need more," Perez smiled.
