Florentino Perez Promises Record €150m Real Madrid Transfer, Rules Out Haaland and Kane

Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has confirmed that the club is preparing to submit what would be the largest transfer offer in its history — a bid of at least €150 million targeted at a player from a top Champions League side. Speaking on Spanish television programme Horizonte on 5 June 2026, Perez indicated the formal offer would be made the following Tuesday.

Perez was explicit in dismissing two of the most frequently linked names to the club. “It’s not Erling Haaland or Harry Kane,” he stated, before elaborating on the scale of the planned move. “On Tuesday, I’m going to make a significant offer to a top Champions League team for a great player. It would be the largest transfer fee Real Madrid has ever paid. At least 150 million.”

While declining to identify the primary target, Perez did reference three other potential arrivals. “I can tell you about three signings: [Jose] Mourinho, [Ibrahima] Konate, and [Denzel] Dumfries. But there will be more,” he said. The mention of Mourinho alongside two outfield players raised questions about the club’s managerial direction, though no further clarification was offered during the broadcast. Speculation among supporters has centred on names including Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Ousmane Dembele as candidates for the record-breaking bid, according to reports.

The announcement arrives in the context of an increasingly competitive presidential race at the club. Perez’s challenger, Enrique Riquelme, has sought to court voter support by pledging to sign Manchester City striker Erling Haaland if elected — a promise that appeared to prompt Perez’s public intervention. Perez has been openly critical of Riquelme’s campaign and accused his rival’s camp of attempting to undermine institutional stability.

“The criticism doesn’t hurt me. What hurts me is that these people want to influence Real Madrid,” Perez said. “I’ve been noticing a kind of conspiracy in the media to destabilise the club. I wanted to nip it in the bud. That’s why I decided to call elections.”

The context surrounding Real Madrid’s transfer record is significant. The club’s current confirmed record outlay stands at the €103 million paid to Juventus for Cristiano Ronaldo in 2009, though subsequent deals including the signings of Gareth Bale and Eden Hazard have at times approached or exceeded that figure in total package value. A confirmed fee of €150 million would represent a clear new benchmark for the club.

Konate, a French international centre-back, is under contract at Liverpool, while Dumfries, the Dutch full-back, plays for Inter Milan — both of whom compete in the Champions League, consistent with Perez’s description of the primary target’s club. However, neither has been formally confirmed as the subject of the record offer, and Perez’s comments on those two players were presented separately from the headline €150 million bid.

With Real Madrid having won the Champions League in the 2023-24 season before exiting the competition in 2024-25, the club’s ambition to reinforce its squad ahead of the 2026-27 campaign remains clear. The timing of Perez’s announcement — made publicly rather than through official club channels — reflects the dual political and sporting pressures currently bearing on the president as he seeks re-election. The formal offer, if made as pledged, is expected to clarify the identity of the target and reshape the summer transfer window at one of European football’s most prominent clubs.