Journalist Toby Cudworth has claimed on the Talking Transfers podcast that Cristiano Ronaldo could be seeking a Manchester United exit due to Lionel Messi.
Amid the ongoing uncertainty surrounding the footballing icon’s immediate future, the 90min football writer believes that Ronaldo doesn’t want to be playing outside of the Champions League while his long-time adversary dines at Europe’s top table.
The 37-year-old was due back for pre-season on Monday but is yet to make his return to Carrington with family reasons being cited (Daily Mail) having asked the Red Devils last week to let him leave should a suitable offer arise.
Chelsea, Bayern Munich and Napoli are al said to have been put on red alert given the ongoing situation with Blues’ chairman Todd Boehly already holding talks with Ronaldo’s super-agent Jorge Mendes about a potential deal.
As explained by Sportsmail, the 698-goal superstar still has an ‘affinity’ for the club but he wants to be playing in UEFA’s top competition which of course won’t be possible at Old Trafford next term leading Cudworth to offer his take:
Do United need Ronaldo for next season?
Yes
No
(16:52) ”We go back to that debate of Ronaldo vs. Messi. Will Ronaldo want to be remembered as a 37-year-old playing in the Europa League when Messi, his fierce counterpart is still at the highest level with PSG.
“Ok, the domestic league isn’t as good in terms of standard but he’s still playing Champions League. I think it irks him, that he might not be playing in those big games all the way through, he doesn’t want to have a year break where he’s not playing with the best and that’s maybe where this has come from.
“But I do agree that it’s odd that we haven’t heard about this kind of push before but I think that’s my reading of the situation.
TIF Thoughts on Ronaldo and United…
Should United sell Ronaldo?Yes
No
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For 19 consecutive seasons, the goal-laden Portuguese has performed in Europe’s elite tournament becoming the competition’s all-time top-scorer with 140 strikes and collecting five titles, the first of which came at United under Sir Alex Ferguson in 2008.
However, as incoming Erik ten Hag prepares a new-look side ready to banish the recent memories, Ronaldo may not be part of those blueprints and perhaps at his age he isn’t going to be the long-term plan anyway so we could see a move develop here and the forward could well get his wish of competing against Lionel Messi for top honours again.