Eight Contenders to Be Florentino Perez’s Mystery $175 Million Real Madrid Target

Just when you thought the presidential race had reached ‘Peak Madrid’, Florentino Pérez went and raised the stakes yet again.

Determind not to be outdone by his challenger Enrique Riquelme, who waved around a “Haaland 9” jersey in front of two ant puppets on Wednesday night, the 79-year-old Pérez appeared on prime-time Spanish talk show Horizonte, announcing that he had lined up a record-breaking deal for a “total Galáctico.”

“I’m going to make an offer to a Champions League club soon, on Tuesday, which will be the biggest payment Real Madrid has ever made for a player, at least €150 million [$175 million],” he teased, before adding: “It’s not [Michael] Olise. He’s a great player but it’s not him. It’s not [Jérémy] Doku, it’s not [Erling] Haaland, it’s not [Harry] Kane... And he’s not from the Premier League. It’s a total Galáctico.”

Michael Olise sliding into World's best winger conversations. pic.twitter.com/zw2268oYhN
— Sports Illustrated FC (@SI_FootballClub) October 18, 2025

Intriguingly, despite explicitly rejecting the prospect of signing Olise, both The Telegraph and AS have claimed that the Bayern Munich superstar is in fact the player in the president’s crosshairs.

Unlike Riquelme, Pérez has left himself room for manouvre, promising only a bid. His challenger, instead, has insisted he will refund all membership fees personally if he fails to deliver on his promise of signing Rodri and Erling Haaland.

Still, it’s enough of a bombshell put the focus back on the old master’s campaign, after a week which Riquelme has largely dominated with his bold claims of delivering two Manchester City superstars to the Bernabéu—as well as Raúl González as sporting director.

Perez Refuses To Be Outdone With Campaign Promises

Florentino Pérez has a history of big promises. | Mateusz Slodkowski/Getty Images

In truth, this move was to be expected from Pérez. He may not have invented the idea of the attention-grabbing campaign promise, but he perfected it with the 2000 pledge to sign Luís Figo from Barcelona—a move that won him his first team and rocked the world of soccer.

Prior to Thursday night’s announcement, Pérez has been leaving breadcrumbs on the campaign trail with posters around Madrid city center that showcase all the blockbuster signings he has delivered during his reign, from Figo to Kylian Mbappé, alongside the words “to be continued.” He was, ultimately, never likely to allow socios to go to the polls thinking his big plans for the summer involved only Ibrahima Konaté and Denzel Dumfries.

But just who is the mystery superstar Pérez is referring to?

Here’s a rundown of the most plausible, non-Premier League options.

1. Michael Olise

O.K., so Pérez specifically said it wasn’t Olise, but the 79-year-old is not always the most reliable narrator.

The 24-year-old London-born France international is one of the top contenders for this year’s Ballon d’Or after a season in which he scored 25 times and assisted 12 times for his club.

2. João Neves

Even before Pérez’s prime-time pledge, there had been links to Paris Saint-Germain playmaker Neves.

The Portuguese midfielder is fresh off the back of consecutive Champions League wins at the age of just 21 and is among the very best in the world in his position.

With Madrid known to be prioritizing an overdue replacement for Toni Kroos and Luka Modrić, there are few around more suitable for the role.

His contract in Paris runs until 2029.

3. Vitinha

Neves’s central midfield companion at PSG is another obvious option.

Five years older, but still in the prime of his career, Vitinha regularly tops the lists of the world’s best engine room controllers and is a truly elite tempo-setting playmaker, while also offering goals from midfield.

Like Neves, he has three more years on his current PSG deal. However, a report from Record in Portugal claims the former Wolves man has an agreement over an exit fee set at around €115 million ($133 million).

4. Désiré Doué

A two-footed, ball carrier with real flair, Doué rose to prominence during PSG’s first Champions League triumph and has become a key cog in Luis Enrique’s continent-dominating machine.

Able to play on both flanks, as a center forward, as well as—at a push—deeper in midfield, Doué would provide options for Real Madrid, though whether the 21-year-old would be an immediate, undisputed starter is less certain.

He is also under contract until 2029.

5. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia

The final PSG player on the list is perhaps the one that would cause the most excitement among fans—and the most issues to team balance.

There is almost no player as enjoyable in motion as the twisty, slippery Kvaratskhelia, who lit up the Champions League for a second year in a row—with 10 goals in 16 appearances in 2025–26.

Also under contract for three more years, Kvaratskhelia would be a more outlandish move from Pérez, given the Georgian only moved to PSG a year and a half ago and does his best work down the left-hand side of the pitch— an area that is already struggling to accommodate both Mbappé and Vinicius Jr for Madrid.

6. Jamal Musiala

The first non-PSG option on the list, Musiala might’ve been viewed as more of a Galáctico last summer, before he suffered a suffered a fractured fibula and broken ankle during the Club World Cup.

That injury meant the Bayern Munich star has played a limited role in the Bavarians barnstorming title win this season, with Kane, Olise and Luis Díaz taking the limelight. That said, Musiala is still highly prized among the elite.

As an attacking midfielder, there would, again, be a worry that his signing could tread on the toes of Madrid’s pre-existing superstars. He is also tied to a contract in Munich until 2030.

7. Yan Diomande

The least established name on the list, but the fastest rising; Diomande is a man in demand this summer after a breakout turn at RB Leipzig, where he was named Bundesliga Rookie of the Season.

The 19-year-old scored an impressive 13 times in all competitions in 2025–26 and is heavily linked with a nine-figure transfer to Liverpool and PSG.

As predominantly a right winger, the young Ivorian might just be the ideal man to get Madrid fans off their seats and fill the gap in the team left by Rodygo’s long-term injury absence.

8. Julián Alvarez

Julián Álvarez licking his lips. — Julián Álvarez is wanted by Barcelona. | Jose Breton/Pics Action/NurPhoto/Getty Images

Probably not the player Madrid need, but the signing that would make the biggest statement.

A transfer for Alvarez would have the dual benefit of getting one over both Atlético Madrid and Barcelona.

The Argentina forward is seeking an exit from Atléti this summer, with Barça—as well as PSG—pushing for a move. Few things feel more Pérez than a big, brash transfer hijack to unsettle his fiercest rivals just because he can.

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