Cristiano Ronaldo wants to leave Manchester United, but he still wants to compete at the highest level, especially with his Champions League record on the line.
Cristiano Ronaldo has expressed his desire to leave Manchester United this summer.
Cristiano Ronaldo has yet to return to Manchester United training despite the fact that the Premier League season begins in less than three weeks.
The 37-year-old has stated his desire to leave Old Trafford this summer, and he is hoping to force his way out after the Red Devils failed to qualify for the Champions League. Last season, Ronaldo scored 24 goals in 38 games across all competitions, including 18 in the Premier League, trailing only Mohamed Salah and Son Heung-min.
He was supposed to report back for pre-season training on July 4, but he has not joined United's tour of the southern hemisphere due to 'family reasons.' Since then, the Portuguese superstar has been working out on his own and was even spotted doing drills alongside the Sheffield United team in his homeland over the weekend.
Chelsea, Real Madrid, and Bayern Munich have all been linked with a move for the five-time Ballon d'Or winner, but it appears that all of those clubs have ruled out signing him. Thomas Tuchel admires Ronaldo but does not believe he will fit their style of play, while Real Madrid is looking for a younger forward to provide backup for Karim Benzema, who is out injured.
Atletico Madrid are also thought to have rejected a move for Ronaldo, while Sporting Lisbon and Napoli have been mentioned as other possibilities. It has now been revealed that Ronaldo's decision to leave is solely motivated by a desire to play in the Champions League rather than the Europa League with United this season.
According to the Spanish outlet Sport, Ronaldo is concerned that Lionel Messi will overtake him as the competition's top scorer and is "willing to do anything" to secure a transfer. His Argentine rival plays for Paris Saint-Germain and will compete in Europe's elite club competition this season, something Ronaldo will not do if he stays at Manchester United.
Ronaldo has 140 goals in the Champions League, 15 more than second-placed Messi, who will have the opportunity to close the gap if the former does not compete. The top five are completed by Robert Lewandowski (86), Karim Benzema (86), and Raul (71).
Ronaldo, who began his career as a winger, did not score until his 27th Champions League game during his first stint at United. However, after shifting from the wing to a central striking role, the Portuguese legend began to find the net with frightening regularity, and he continued to rack up impressive numbers after leaving Old Trafford for Real Madrid.
However, because Messi is over two years younger than Ronaldo, the former Barcelona superstar could overtake him as the all-time Champions League top scorer. Last season, Messi scored five goals in seven European games, including two against Manchester City.
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