Alf-Inge Haaland refused to rule out a Real Madrid move for his son while underlining Erling Haaland’s current commitment to Manchester City.

“I don’t want to talk much about the options at other clubs. He’s very happy at Manchester City, he has a long contract, and we’re looking forward to the new season,” Haaland’s father told reporters after Norway’s World Cup 2–1 win over Brazil, in which his son scored both goals.

Haaland signed a contract that runs until 2034 and the striker, now almost 26 years old, has shown no reluctance to relocate if it serves his ambition. The exit of Pep Guardiola at the end of 2025–26 and the outstanding 115 Premier League charges facing Manchester City are among the broader uncertainties noted in recent coverage.

Real Madrid presidential hopeful Enrique Riquelme pledged to pursue Haaland had he prevailed in last month’s ballot. Haaland Sr. denied his son was prepared to sign for Los Blancos immediately and Manchester City even weighed legal action. Riquelme lost, and Haaland remains at City for now, but the possibility was kept alive by the elder Haaland.

“Everyone wants to play for Real Madrid and win the Champions League. Would I like to see him at Real Madrid ? Maybe, maybe,” he said, adding: “There’s always an opportunity in football, there are fantastic clubs in Spain and you never know, but right now he’s happy in England.”

Tactically, the draft envisages obstacles to any immediate move. Real Madrid already houses Kylian Mbappé and Vinícius Júnior, and an incoming one-striker system under José Mourinho would present selection dilemmas. Selling Vinícius Jr, whose contract expires in 2027, is proposed as one option, though coexistence with Mbappé would remain uncertain.

The piece also places the debate in historical context, noting how past Galácticos eras prioritized star recruitment over team cohesion, and contrasts that with later success built around players such as Casemiro, Toni Kroos and Luka Modrić.

For now the most concrete reality remains Haaland’s record at City: 162 goals in his first four seasons, fourth on the club’s all-time list and 98 short of Sergio Agüero’s 260, plus 112 Premier League goals and the fastest century in 111 games. Continued form could see those tallies grow significantly.

Real Madrid have issued a clear public denial after reports suggested they had held talks over Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernández.

The club went further than a simple refutation, saying there has been no direct or indirect effort to sign the Argentina international and that there is no intention to pursue him this summer.

“In light of the reports and statements that have appeared in recent days regarding an alleged interest from Real Madrid CF in the player Enzo Fernández, the club wishes to state that it has not made any effort, either direct or indirect, to sign the aforementioned player and, likewise, has no intention of undertaking such an operation,” the club said in a statement.

“Real Madrid wishes to express its utmost respect for Enzo Fernández, a great footballer whose career and quality are widely known, as well as for Chelsea FC , a club with which it maintains an excellent institutional relationship.

“Precisely because of the respect that an entity like Chelsea FC deserves and because of the principles of institutional loyalty that have always governed the actions of Real Madrid, the club considers it necessary to categorically deny speculations that are unfounded and do not correspond to reality.

“Real Madrid regrets that, despite the clarity of the facts and the lack of any action on the part of the club, information continues to be disseminated that does not correspond to reality and that only contributes to generating confusion among fans and unnecessarily harming the entities and people involved.”

The statement complicates Fernández’s situation. He has not publicly damaged his relationship with Chelsea, but his obvious flirting and his failure to challenge his agent’s public comments have created friction. A move to Madrid had been presented as the likely resolution, but that option now appears closed.

If Los Blancos will not pursue Fernández, “something else needs to happen.” Options are limited. A reunion with Enzo Maresca at Manchester City is one of the few plausible alternatives, but City’s recent record-breaking acquisition of Elliot Anderson suggests an expensive move for Fernández is unlikely.

Fernández’s asking price is understood to stand at $160 million (£120 million), and he remains under contract with Chelsea for another six years. Chelsea have said they would be happy to keep him. Fernández, Chelsea’s vice-captain under Maresca, will also need to repair his relationship with supporters.

Real Madrid still want a new tempo-setting midfielder, and Fernández is one of several names under consideration. The club’s categorical denial over Fernández echoes an earlier denial about Bayern Munich winger Michael Olise, although that same level of public rejection was not applied to Olise, who is believed to remain high on the wish list of club president Florentino Pérez.

Enzo Fernández is pressing for an exit from Chelsea after three-and-a-half years at Stamford Bridge. Prior to the World Cup it was reported that Chelsea would sanction a £120 million ($160 million) exit for the midfielder who signed for the Blues for around £106 million ($141 million) back in 2023.

His agent, former Argentina international Javier Pastore, has confirmed his client is looking at options to leave Chelsea this summer and talked up the Spanish capital as a nice place to live—though he denied that any talks have taken place just yet. Fernández and Pastore appear to be prioritising a move to Real Madrid, and the 15-time European champions are said to be monitoring the situation, but no formal approach has been made and other targets remain under consideration.

If a move to Madrid falls through, there are few clubs with the resources to mount a nine-figure bid. Paris Saint-Germain have been linked with Fernández in the past, but the French club are reported to be focused on attacking reinforcements this summer, with Yan Diomande, Maghnes Akliouche and Julián Álvarez among their reported targets. Fernández could rise up PSG’s list only if one of their midfielders—Vitinha, João Neves or Fabián Ruiz—were to depart, although exits for those players are not currently on the cards.

A reunion with Enzo Maresca at his new club is another possibility. “I don’t have an answer for this … It was a departure that hurt me a lot. We had an identity and Maresca gave us structure.” Those were some of Fernández’s comments after Enzo Maresca left as Chelsea manager midway through last season. Maresca’s arrival at Manchester City has been mentioned, but City have already committed £116 million ($153 million) to another midfielder in Elliot Anderson, making a move there less likely.

The Saudi Pro League remains an option that could offer significant financial terms and publicity, though the league has yet to land many players in their prime. Atlético Madrid could also pursue Fernández; a fee in the region of £120 million would represent a club record, but the club has been willing to spend heavily when it chooses to do so.

At 25, Fernández faces a pivotal decision about his next destination if the Real Madrid route does not come to pass.