Lionel Messi is the main reason why Cristiano Ronaldo decided to leave Manchester United

Cristiano Ronaldo has reportedly told Man United that he wants to leave and join a club that guarantees him Champions League football next season.

Former Chelsea striker Tony Cascarino has come up with a theory and why it relates to Lionel Messi. He told Talksport: “Ronaldo is a player, as always, that has an ego.

“A lot of it is about him but the teams he’s played in have been successful, so you always go with that as a team player.

“Great, he scores goals, he gets the accolades, he’s one of the greatest that’s ever played the game. You can have all that and that’s fine, as long as you’re winning. When you don’t win, now you’ve got a problem.

“I said to you off-air, I’m a bit suspicious because he’s got 141 goals in the Champions League. Messi has got 125. He doesn’t want to not play Champions League football because he wants to be the greatest Champions League goalscorer of all time and that’s how Ronaldo is made.”

United aren’t so eager to let Ronaldo leave despite his wishes to do so and will try their best to hold onto him for at least another season.

Cristiano’s major salary demands (he earns around £25m-a-year at Old Trafford) are a stumbling block in a summer move, as he’ll have to take a hefty pay cut to join another side.

Source: Talksport