Florentino Perez’s ‘right-hand man’ tipped for CEO role at Real Madrid | OneFootball

Real Madrid are preparing for one of the most significant structural changes in their modern history, and the plans go far beyond the pitch. 

According to a report from Vozpopuli, the club is seriously considering the creation of an official CEO position, a move that would form part of an institutional restructuring scheduled for 2026

Interestingly, this would coincide with Real Madrid opening the door to outside investors.

For decades, the club has functioned under a strong presidential model, with Florentino Perez maintaining tight control over both sporting and financial decisions. 

The introduction of a CEO would signal a more corporate structure, designed to handle increasing commercial complexity, global expansion, and investor relations.

As reported by the outlet, this role would be ‘responsible for implementing a new business model capable of supporting a valuation significantly exceeding €10 billion.’

Candidate for the role

The leading candidate for this newly proposed role is Anas Laghrari, widely regarded as Perez’s most trusted adviser and an influential architect behind Real Madrid’s off-field evolution. 

Internally, Laghrari is often described as the president’s “unofficial right hand”.

Real Madrid are set for a huge structural change. (Photo by Denis Doyle/Getty Images)

Laghrari, a Moroccan-French financial strategist, is currently a partner at Key Capital and has played a decisive role in several of the most complex and high-risk financial operations linked to Perez over the last decade. 

His profile is not that of a traditional football executive, but rather that of a deal-maker.

One of the clearest examples of his influence was his involvement in the launch of the European Super League project in 2021. 

Through A22 Sports Management, where he served as co-founder, Laghrari helped secure an initial €4 billion financing package from JP Morgan.

Perhaps most importantly for Real Madrid fans, Laghrari played a crucial role in the financing and strategic planning of the Santiago Bernabeu renovation. 

His work helped the club secure funding and maintain financial stability during the COVID-19 pandemic and periods of wider geopolitical uncertainty, ensuring the project stayed on track.

All of this explains why Perez would strongly endorse Laghrari for the CEO role.