Riquelme put Arteta at the top of his choices for Real Madrid

During his campaign for the Real Madrid presidency, Enrique Riquelme put Mikel Arteta at the top of his choices to coach the club if he won the election. That plan contrasted with his earlier announcement that he intended to rely on German coach Jürgen Klopp. Arteta, Arsenal’s manager, was therefore one of the most prominent names in Riquelme’s campaign.

The coach was highly regarded within the campaign, where he was seen as a young manager with the experience and ability to build a long-term project. Riquelme ultimately turned to the Klopp option. Arteta, meanwhile, was not involved in official negotiations with the candidate and remained committed to his project at Arsenal after extending his contract with the club until 2030.

The campaign presented several different visions for Real Madrid’s future. It ended with Riquelme losing to Florentino Pérez, who retained the presidency and continued leading the club.